Counter protest against striking unions

Shirley Wijesinghe

Representatives of some trade unions who met Western Province Governor and Trade Union Federation Convenor Alavi Mowlana at his office yesterday decided to stage a protest campaign against the proposed trade union action to be launched by anti-government elements.

The protest campaign, organized under the theme 'Defeat all Conspiracies and March Forward with the President' will be held opposite the Colombo Fort Railway Station at 2.00 pm on November 10 (Tuesday).

Addressing the meeting, Governor Mowlana said: "We should not let the gains and victories won by us under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa be frittered away. We should get together and defeat such elements which embarrass the Government."

He requested union representatives to visit all workplaces and educate the working class through demonstrations on Monday.

He said trade union action staged with the support of opposition parties is purely based on political agendas of certain political parties who cannot accept the Government's recent political victories. Trade Union representatives also agreed to mobilize their supporters to join the protest campaign opposite the Fort Railway station to make it a success.

Presidential Advisor (Trade Union Affairs) Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra was also present.