• Govt. ready to discuss other demands

The postal trade unions that launched a strike over 19 demands, including two relating to using biometric fingerprint registry machines to mark attendance and overtime pay rates, have decided to stop the strike, Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said after a meeting with the trade unions.

Accordingly, all employees of the administration and operations units of the Central Mail Exchange will mark attendance through biometric fingerprint recorder machines with effect from today (25) and the overtime pay rates declared in March will continue.

Speaking to the media, the minister maintained that the Government’s stance regarding the biometric system to mark attendance and overtime pay rates are non-negotiable, while the Government is open to discussing the other 17 demands which the minister noted are already being addressed.

Meanwhile, following the meeting with the minister, United Postal Trade Union Front’s Co-convener Chinthaka Bandara said that while the minister did not agree to make any changes with regard to the biometric attendance system and overtime pay rates, the Postmaster General however was officially ordered to look into the implementation of the other 17 demands and that further discussions will be held regarding the same.

“We do not intend to refrain from using the biometric fingerprint system, which is a State policy,” he claimed, adding that trade unions will monitor how this system works in the coming few weeks and make the necessary interventions to resolve any issues.