Unions urge Labour Ministry to increase salaries

Several trade unions have requested the Labour Ministry to increase salaries of the working masses, especially, the private sector workers.

Eleven trade unions that are represented in the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) have made this request from the Ministry.

Head of the Ceylon Federation of Labour T.M.R. Rasseedin has said that repeated requests had been made from the Labour Ministry to increase the salaries by forwarding the requests to the Wages Board.

However, Labour Ministry Secretary W.J.L.U. Wijayaweera has said that the Ministry had not received any union request for a wage hike.

He has added that in the event such a request was made by a trade union, it would be forwarded to the Wages Board to receive recommendations.

Public and private sector trade unions affiliated to Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) meanwhile has commenced a protest campaign against the soaring cost of living and demanding a salary increase.