Work-to-rule no impact
Rasika SOMARATNA
The Security Forces are ready to assist authorities to maintain
essential services in the country, if required and if requested Military
Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayak-kara said yesterday.
However, no such request has been made as yet, he added as several
trade unions of Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), Ceylon Electricity
Board (CEB), Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) and National Water Supply
and Drainage Board (NWSDB) launched a work-to-rule campaign demanding a
salary hike.
The Military Spokesman said the military would assist if required and
if given the green light by the Defence Ministry to maintain essential
services without interruption so as not to cause any hardship to the
public.
Inquired from authorities of the above departments, they said the
work-to-rule campaign had not affected their daily routine. They also
added that a majority of workers in their institutions were against the
campaign.
Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Acting Chairman Methsiri Wijegunawardene
said measures were taken to maintain an uninterrupted supply of fuel to
filling stations. He added that contingency measures such as increasing
the quantity of fuel released to distribution centres and amending their
credit facilities accordingly was on the cards if required.
Meanwhile,Ceylon Electricity Board Chairman E. Edirisinghe said the
work-to-rule campaign had not ruffled any feathers as yet.
He said out of 43 trade unions functioning in the CEB, only six were
involved in the work-to-rule campaign.
“In any eventuality we are confident of maintaining an uninterrupted
service,” he added.
Sri Lanka Ports Authority Chairman Dr. Priyath Bandu Wickrema said
operations of in and out bound ship movements had been maintained at the
harbour uninterrupted.
However there had been a slight disruption in the container terminal
operations which too would be rectified by afternoon, he added.
He said a contingency plan was ready if the need arises with trained
personnel being kept ready to take over affected positions, if required.
The Government has already decided to give a 22 percent pay hike
effective from this month but to be paid in January 2010. The Unions
however, demand a pay hike from January 2009 to be paid with arrears.
Meanwhile, the Opposition led trade union action has come under
strong criticism from the public.
The parties concerned have been accused of using the State workers to
gain political mileage. Several trade unions supporting the Government
staged a massive protest campaign on Tuesday against the scheduled
work-to-rule campaign by the four major unions.
Meanwhile our Vavuniya correspondent said. final distribution in
Vavuniya yesterday was not affected by the work-to-rule campaign by some
CPC trade unions.
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[ A total flop - WP Governor]
Veteran Trade Unionist and Western Province Governor Alavi Mowlana
yesterday thanked the workers of the Ports, CPC, Water Board and CEB for
ensuring an uninterrupted service by not playing into the hands of
disruptive elements bent on sabotage to cause embarrassment to the
Government. He declared that the work-to-rule campaign was a total flop.
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