President pledges to uphold TU rights

Rohan Mathes

Colombo: President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday asserted that his Government will never to suppress the democratic rights and privileges of the working class.

He was addressing the 'Presidential Felicitation for Prestigious Service' ceremony at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday, to felicitate veteran Trade Union Leaders in recognition of their long standing and dignified service rendered to the Trade Union (TU) movement of the country for over 50 years.

He reiterated that while fighting the war to eradicate terrorism, mega development projects will also continue. However, the Government will not resort to retrenchment of the existing workforce in the State sector.

Instead, the public service will be further consolidated and Government servants would be elevated to a dignified level.

He noted that TU leaders had painstakingly worked for the betterment of their working brethren and fought for their cause, risking life and limb, being subject to stabbing, acid-throwing and assault.

They confronted many obstacles in their struggle to uphold democratic rights. "But they never took up arms in their struggle, under any circumstances, and neither did they incite others to do so. They prevented bloodshed," he added.

They (Trade Union leaders) perceived the entire working class as one nation, despite their ethnic, religious or any other differences. They rejected separatism and division of the country. They have the capability and the strength to fight terrorism and protect the vulnerable nerve centres of the economy, he added.

President Rajapaksa was of the view that terrorism was the greatest challenge and threat confronting the labour force. However, the TU's and their leaders could create and establish a society which cherishes, protects, nurtures and respects the rights of the working class. The tri-partite mechanism should seek to resolve the grievances of the labour force and also oversee their welfare facilities.

He pointed out that during his tenure as Labour Minister, he learnt the great virtues of patience and 'listening to others'. Great TU leaders in the calibre of those being felicitated, however do not emerge from the North and the East today, due to the terrorism existing there.

TU leaders should emerge from other regions as well, but unfortunately leaders from the 'Underworld' emerge instead, he said. The need of the hour is to enhance and develop skills and intelligence capacity of our workforce based on high technology for the benefit of the future generation, President Rajapaksa added.

Labour Relations and Manpower Minister Athauda Seneviratne addressing the ceremony stressed the importance of enhancing productivity instead of increasing salaries which leads to further inflation and cost of living.

Ministers M.H. Mohamed, D.E.W. Gunasekera, Gamini Lokuge, Tissa Vitharana, Maithripala Sirisena, Dr. Mervyn Silva, Alavi Moulana and International Labour Organisation Director Tine Staermose, Director General of the Employers' Federation of Ceylon Ravi Peiris and Commissioner General of Labour D.S. Edirisinghe also addressed the ceremony.

TU leaders Alavi Moulana, K.K.A.E. Britto, James Kariyawasam, D.M. Jayasinghe, Wimalasiri de Mel, O.A. Ramiah, S. Siriwardena, P.L.S. Perera, M.S. Sellasamy and Bala Tampoe (absent) were felicitated by the President.