More unions to decide on longer strike today

Against the backdrop of several trade unions (TUs) of the health sector and the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) having already decided to launch a continuous strike from next week demanding the withdrawal of the Government's new tax policies, several other trade unions are to make a final decision regarding their course of action against the same at a discussion to be held today (3).

Speaking to The Daily Morning, CEB Joint Trade Union Alliance Convenor, Ranjan Jayalal said: "The Government is yet to favourably respond to our demands including the withdrawal of these unfair tax policies. Therefore, we have already decided to launch a continuous strike from next week. It is confirmed. However, the date from which we will launch the strike is not yet decided. It can be on 7, 8 or 9 March. We will soon announce the exact date."

College of Medical Laboratory Science President, Ravi Kumudesh also spoke to The Daily Morning and said that several trade unions in the health sector including those representing doctors, nurses, pharmacists and medical laboratory technicians have already decided to launch a continuous strike from next week. He said that the strike would most probably be launched from 8 March, and said that more trade unions would be joining it by that time.

Meanwhile, Ceylon Bank Employees' Union (CBEU) President, Ranjan Senanayake, when contacted by The Daily Morning, said yesterday (2): "We have just concluded the series of trade union actions which we launched on Wednesday (1). We are yet to decide the next course of action. It will most probably be a continuous strike, but we have to reach a decision after discussing with the other trade unions. We have convened a meeting with all the relevant trade unions tomorrow (3), and we will make a final decision during it."

The Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) also stated that it would hold further discussions with other trade unions to decide on the next protest action. GMOA Media Committee member, Dr. Hansamal Weerasuriya told The Daily Morning: "We are having discussions both within the GMOA committees and branches, and with the trade unions representing the other sectors. After having proper discussions, we will decide if we should launch a continuous trade union action. We hope to reach a decision within this week."

More than 100 trade unions within Government and semi-Government institutions such as the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, the CEB, the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the GMOA, the Federation of University Teachers` Associations, the CBEU and the Ceylon Teachers' Union implemented a number of trade union actions including strikes and work to rule campaigns, seeking to force the Government led by President and Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policies Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to revoke the recently introduced tax policies on Wednesday, and claimed that their trade union actions were successful. They also warned of stricter trade union actions including continuous strikes within the course of next week, if the Government continues to ignore their demands.