• Kanchana instructs CEB mgmt. to accept any resignations and collect dues

The collective of trade unions attached to the State and non-state sectors is to launch a protest next month (February) against the Government’s alleged oppressive conduct including its recent decision to suspend 66 workers of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) who engaged in protest against the proposed Energy Reforms Bill, unless the Government reverses the said decision, said the CEB Workers’ Union (CEBWU).

Speaking to the media yesterday (22) following a meeting held between several trade union leaders, CEBWU General Secretary Ranjan Jayalal said that representatives of the CEB trade unions were to hand over their written objection to Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera's decision, to the Ministry of Power and Energy on 29 January, and was to launch a demonstration in Colombo on 5 February if the Government failed to respond to it favourably.

Jayalal further claimed that the CEB and the Minister were working to disconnect the electricity supply of thousands of helpless people without taking measures to collect the bill-related dues of leading politicians. He said that all CEB workers who engaged in the protest were ready to step down if the Government did not revise its decision to suspend their colleagues. He also said that not only trade unions attached to the power and energy sector but also all other trade unions would join hands with this movement, taking this as a common attack on workers’ rights.

The special trade union discussion took place yesterday, during which a decision was taken against the recent interdiction of employees of the CEB. Accordingly, nearly 100 trade unions from across the country participated in the meeting, which was held under the leadership of CEB trade unions. Meanwhile, civil society organisations had planned to launch a protest campaign in front of the CEB Head Office at 12 noon yesterday, against the said interdiction of the employees.

However, in response to the CEBWU’s threat to the Government, claiming that more than 5,000 CEB workers are ready to tender their resignations, Minister Wijesekera yesterday posted on the social media platform X: “I have instructed the CEB management to accept resignations of any individual without hesitation and to recover all dues to the CEB. I have also instructed the relevant officials to expedite work related to CEB reforms, cost-reduction mechanisms, implementing identified power projects in the generation plan, expanding the digital payment platform and outsourcing payment collections, and disciplinary and legal steps against personnel who disrupted the services of the CEB.”

Meanwhile, the National Trade Union Centre (NTUC) said that legal action would be taken against the management of the CEB for their allegedly arbitrary decision to suspend CEB trade unionists and workers who engaged in the aforementioned protest.

On 15 January, the CEB suspended 15 clerical staff members in charge of cash counters for inconveniencing customers – who had come to pay their bills – by closing the windows of the counters and refraining from accepting payments. On 20 January, 51 more employees of the CEB were interdicted for obstructing services by refusing to accept bill payments from consumers during their three-day protests staged against the proposed restructuring of the State-owned electricity supplier, thereby bringing the total of interdicted employees to 66.

Ahead of the trade union action, the CEB management, by way of a circular, had cancelled the leave of all employees with effect from 2 January. However, in case of an urgent matter, employees were allowed to take leave with the approval of an executive officer attached to the respective division or branch.

In a statement to the media on 19 January, CEB Spokesman and Deputy General Manager (Business and Operation Strategy) Noel Priyantha said that the CEB had suspended 15 cash clerks for shutting down counters that accept bill payments from consumers. On 20 January, Priyantha further said that the number of suspended employees had increased to 66 and that an investigation was being carried out regarding the disruption of services.

Trade union members attached to the CEB engaged in a series of protests from 3-5 January, challenging the Government’s attempts to restructure the board and pass the new Electricity Bill. Before the trade union action, the CEB management had cancelled the leave of all employees with effect from 2 January, unless due to an urgent matter.

Meanwhile, Extraordinary Gazette Number 2363/02 published on 18 December 2023, on the instructions of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, had declared all services connected to the electricity supply as essential public services.

After the three-day trade union action was launched, Minister Wijesekera instructed the CEB management to suspend and take appropriate disciplinary action against employees disrupting services, or acting in violation of guidelines.

Minister Wijesekera was not available for comment on the matter.