Special committee to study state sector salary anomalies

Suraj A. Bandara

A special committee comprising trade union representatives has been appointed for the twin purposes of studying all State sector salary anomalies and coming up with solutions and for preparing a service manual.

The decision was taken after President Mahinda Rajapaksa met all trade union representatives at the Temple Trees, yesterday.

The committee will be vested with the power to study the salary anomalies prevailing in the State sector and make recommendations to minimize disparities in State sector salaries.

The committee will have to submit its final report before August with recommendations to settle all anomalies. The recommendations of the Committee will be considered in drafting the 2011 Budget.

The meeting between the President and Trade Union representatives was to find ways to remove salary anomalies prevalent among the Government employees, in the next budget.

Addressing the gathering, the President said the country needs responsible trade unions .

He said as a strong trade union leader he has a good understanding about trade unions.

He insisted that no force will be given a chance to betray the country and fulfill narrow personal ends. Every problem could be solved through negotiations.

The President urged the trade union leaders not to be a party for destroying the country's image by falling prey to pressures exerted by certain forces . "Though many accusations were made against me I never betrayed my motherland. I can bear up whatever insults hurled to tarnish my image," the President said.

"When the country is faced with conspiracies, the consequences will be borne solely by the country's working class. Therefore, as true trade union leaders never let any one to crush the working community," the President said.

"The Government will never curb trade unions. I represented the working community for many decades," the President noted.