'Trade union leaders try to inflate their egos'

Irangika Range

Transport Minister Kumara Welgama said yesterday that certain trade union leaders make various political statements to the media to inflate their own egos.

"They make various statements while working and obtaining salaries from their institutions.

"This can cause severe damage to those institutions," he said.

"Any worker in formal employment has the legal right to join a trade union. "We are not against for their rights. But they should work cooperatively with the employers to win their rights. Both the employer and employees must work together effectively for an institution to be successful, he added.

He made these remarks at a ceremony held to hand over appointment letters to156 new Station Masters by the Transport Ministry in Colombo recently.

"Station masters are one of the most important officials in railway stations. They play vital role in the railway service.

'Their services are absolutely essential for safe operation of train services. Toady, nearly 400,000 passengers are traveling by trains.

'Therefore, it is our bounden duty to provide all services required by the train commuters' he said.