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Over 600 K public servants conduct strike for salary hike 

08 Dec 2021

BY Buddhika Samaraweera  More than 600,000 public servants in several sectors affiliated to the Sri Lanka Government Officers’ Trade Union Association (SLGOTUA) went on strike yesterday (8) in protest over what they claim to be the Government’s failure to increase the salaries of public servants in the face of the rising cost of living (CoL). Speaking to The Morning yesterday, SLGOTUA National Organiser B.A.P. Basnayake said that more than 600,000 public servants including grama niladharis (GNs), development officers, Postal Department officers, and those of several other state institutions had joined the strike. He claimed that the number of public servants who engaged in the strike action was about 80% of the total public servants cadre. “The cost of living has risen to an unbearable level at present. We have therefore repeatedly called on the Government to increase the salaries of public servants by at least Rs. 18,000, but so far the Government has failed to find a solution. At the very least, the Government has not even given us an opportunity to discuss our demands with the authorities. In addition, the retirement age for public servants has been extended to 65 years. In protest over all these matters, more than 600,000 public servants did not report for duty and were on sick leave,” he said.  Speaking further, Basnayake warned that if the Government does not take action to provide the public servants with a salary increase even at the last reading of the Budget proposal for 2022, which is currently being debated in Parliament, a massive trade union struggle will be launched in the coming days.  The SLGOTUA had also organised a protest in Colombo yesterday over the same demands, which was attended by more than 500 public servants. The SLGOTUA, on 14 November 2021, warned that it would initiate a trade union action without giving notice, if the Government did not increase the salaries of public servants through the 2022 Budget. Pointing out further that the prices of essential items have increased several times during the past few months, the SLGOTUA has urged the Government to bring in amendments to the Budget to increase the salaries of public servants by at least Rs. 18,000.  However, claiming that there is no possibility of raising the salaries of public servants under the present circumstances, Finance Ministry and Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle recently called on the public servants who are demanding a salary increase to suggest how to obtain the necessary monies to make such a hike.  When contacted by The Morning to inquire whether the Finance Ministry would consider the SLGOTUA’s demand on 17 November, Attygalle said: “It is not possible to do so because there is no provision in the Budget for such a salary increase at the moment. However, Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa has asked the National Pay Commission (NPC) to fast-track the designing of a new salary structure, considering the salary anomalies, etc. That is the only proposal as of now.”


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