Wednesday May 15, 2024
Wednesday May 15, 2024
Wednesday, 15 March 2023 00:02 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Maneshka Borham
Trade Unions belonging to the Professionals Trade Union Alliance will go ahead with their planned mass strike action today against the Government’s new tax regime despite threats from the Government against strikers from services declared as essential.
The trade union action is also being supported by a large number of Government and Semi-Government Trade Unions.
Accordingly, forty trade unions including Government medical officers, university professionals, electrical engineers, banking officers, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, National Water Supply, Sri Lanka Transport Board and Drainage Board, Road Development Authority, Survey Department of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Ports Authority and the Inland Revenue Department will join the strike action.
The strikers are demanding that the Government reverses its ‘unfair’ tax regime as the increased PAYE tax has severely inconvenienced professionals earning above Rs. 100,000. The trade unions are also demanding the Government reduce bank interest rates, provide a living expenses allowance of Rs. 20,000 and reverse the electricity tariff hike.
Teachers, principals, postal workers, state administrative service and field officers have also extended their support to the strike. The workers of the Ceylon Electricity Board will report in sick today while it will also commence a work-to-rule action for a week commencing tomorrow. Though the Professionals Trade Union Alliance held several rounds of talks with officials representing the President, the strike was announced after it did not receive a favourable response to their demands.
Media Spokesman for the Federation of University Teachers' Associations, Senior Lecturer Charudatta Illangasinghe said the trade unions will not stop their strike after today. “The strike actions and other protests will continue till our demands are met,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Government in its efforts to block the protests took several steps yesterday. The leave of all Sri Lanka Railway Workers was cancelled by the General Manager of Railways while the Sri Lanka Post was declared as an essential service. While the members of the Locomotive Operating Engineers’ Association of the Railways launched a 24-hour strike from midnight, several unions, including the Station Masters’ Union, Train Controllers’ Union and the Railway Guards’ Union withdrew their support for the strike.
Government Spokesman Minister Bandula Gunawardena said stringent measures will be taken against any actions that will disrupt the essential services in the country. He warned that such acts will be considered as treason as disruption of the IMF aid process cannot be allowed. The Minister said many services have been declared as essential and therefore legal action will be taken against any saboteurs while MP Vajira Abeywardane warned that the laws even allow for the confiscation of properties of such persons.
