EFC Director General informs Minister about ITUC report

Ramani Kangaraarachchi

Employees Federation of Ceylon (EFC) Director General, Ravi Peiris has informed Labour and Labour Relations Minister Gamini Lokuge about the report on Sri Lankan labour standards made by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) to the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

In a letter addressed to the Minister he has stated that the ITUC website carries the above report, the contents of which are bound to damage the image of Sri Lanka in relation to the implementation of labour standards.

The report contains many general statements without justification, which will seriously tarnish the image of our country in the eyes of potential investors who will be interested in investing in Sri Lanka.

Peiris has stated that the report also contains inaccurate statements in relation to application of standards with regard to Sri Lanka. For example, the report alleges that there is inequality in wages between males and females in Sri Lanka.

Reference is made to the tobacco and cinnamon trades alleging that there is inequality of minimum wages, which is totally inaccurate.

Apart from this, the issues raised involve freedom of association and collective bargaining, child labour and forced labour.

He proposed that the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC), being a responsible tripartite body, will have to view this matter very seriously and issue a joint statement as a response to this report.

He said that a meeting of the NLAC is scheduled at November 23 at 3.00 p.m. and requested to include this matter as a matter of priority in the agenda for discussion and also circulate this letter amongst all members of the NLAC.