• Petroleum, ports, electricity, health, water supply, higher education, banking sector unions to join
• GMOA, CTU, CTSU, and postal to protest but not strike

Nearly 100 trade unions (TUs) representing several sectors including petroleum, ports, electricity, health, water supply, education, banking, and postal service are to launch a number of trade union actions including a one day token strike today (1), demanding the withdrawal of the tax policies recently introduced by the Government.

Representatives of several trade unions which represent governmental and semi-government institutions such as the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB), the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), the Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA), the Federation of University Teachers` Associations (FUTA), the Ceylon Bank Employees' Union (CBEU), the Ceylon Teachers' Union (CTU) and the Ceylon Teachers’ Service Union (CTSU), which are supporting the trade union actions including the one day token strike today, commented on their plans to the media.

The Sri Lanka Freedom Employees' Union – Petroleum Co-Chairman Jagath Wijegunaratne said that the trade unions within the CPC would fully support the trade union actions, including the one day token strike. He added that the activities pertaining to the supply of fuel could be disrupted due to the trade union action, noting that therefore, the Government led by President and Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policies Ranil Wickremesinghe should be held responsible for all inconveniences which may be caused to the public.

Ranjan Jayalal, who was representing the trade unions within the CEB, said: “We, the trade unions of the CEB, have expressed our full support for this struggle against the Government's unfair tax policies and other issues which have arisen in the country at present. A crisis situation may arise regarding the maintenance of the power supply to consumers due to this trade union action. The Government should accept full responsibility for such a situation.”

The NWSDB Employees' Union General Secretary H.D. Leelaratne told the media that they too would support the trade union action including the one day token strike today. He said that almost all trade unions of the NWSDB would launch trade union actions at every regional office of the NWSDB.

The Joint Ports’ Trade Unions' Alliance Co-Convenor Niroshan Gorakanage said: “As we announced before, we will be launching a strike from 7 a.m. tomorrow (1 March) to 7 a.m. the day after tomorrow (2). During the strike, all operations such as the loading and unloading of goods and the movement of ships will be halted. It will definitely happen. It is not what we wanted, but what the Government needed. So, we had to make that decision.”

CBEU President Channa Dissanayake said that a total of 18 State and private banks would launch a one day token strike from this morning (1). He said that all 12 private banks which are members of the CBEU would join the strike, so that the operations of the entire banking sector would be halted today. The CBSL Employee's Union President Sarath Ratnayake said that all trade unions within the CBSL would be collectively participating in the strike in line with the Trade Union Collective's decision. He assured that almost 100% of CBSL employees would be participating in the strike against the Government's tax policies.

FUTA Media Spokesman Dr. Charudaththa Illangasinghe also said that the university teachers of all State universities would join the strike today. He said that they have decided to support the trade union action as the Wickremesinghe-led Government is continuously ignoring their demands, claiming that such reforms (the tax policies in question) should be introduced in order to obtain assistance from the International Monetary Fund.

When contacted by The Daily Morning, the GMOA’s Media Committee Member, Dr. Hansamal Weerasuriya said that the GMOA, at its Central Committee meeting held yesterday (28 February) afternoon, had decided to fully support the trade union actions, but that they would not launch a strike, having realised the difficulties which would have to be undergone by the patients. “We are fully supporting the struggle against the Government's tax policies, but we have to think of the people too. They are not responsible for what is done by the Government. Therefore, we will take action which will cause minimum inconvenience to the public. However, if the Government continues to ignore our demands, we will be taking stricter actions by next week,” he said.

Leading teachers' trade unions including the CTU led by Joseph Stalin and the CTSU led by Mahinda Jayasinghe have also decided to support the trade union actions. They however will not engage in a strike. “We, the teachers and principals, have decided to fully support the trade unions' struggle against the Government's programme. If it does not heed our demands even after this, we will be left with no other option but to launch continuous trade union action,” said Jayasinghe, who was speaking at a media briefing. Meanwhile, the CTU President, Priyantha Fernando said that the teachers and principals would support the trade union actions today by wearing black attire. He said that their main demands include the complete resolution of the teacher-principal salary anomalies, the provision of a travelling allowance to teachers, the reduction of the cost of living, and the provision of the necessary financial provisions for schools without delay.

The President of the Sri Lanka Postal Workers' Union, Chinthaka Bandara said that they too would support the trade union actions by reporting to work in black attire today. However, they would not engage in a strike action today, and have instead decided to launch a strike on 8 March.

Meanwhile, President Wickremesinghe had, on 27 February, signed a Gazette notification, declaring several services related to the ports, airports and passenger transport services as essential services, with immediate effect. According to the President's Media Division, the special Gazette had declared public transport services for passengers or goods, the discharge, carriage, landing, storage, delivery and removal of articles of food or drink, or coal, oil and fuel from vessels within any port as defined for the purposes of the Customs Ordinance (Chapter 235), and the provision and maintenance of facilities for transport services by road, rail or air, including roads, bridges, culverts, airports, ports and railway lines, as essential services.

Holding a protest in front of the Colombo Fort Railway Station on 22 February, the aforesaid trade unions vowed to make the Government led by Wickremesinghe roll back the tax policies that it recently introduced. They had also declared a “black week” of protests from that day, demanding that the tax revisions in question be revoked, and be replaced with fair revisions. In view of the black week, employees of public institutions reported for duty in black attire, wearing black armbands, while black flags and banners had been hoisted at several State institution premises.