The ongoing ‘work-to-rule’ campaign launched by several unions attached to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) will continue beyond midnight yesterday (24).

A spokesperson stated that all unions affiliated with the CEB met last afternoon to make a collective decision on the next course of action regarding future activities. Accordingly, members have decided to continue the ongoing ‘work-to-rule’ campaign after the authorities failed to provide any solutions to their demands.

The CEB Engineers’ Union (CEBEU), along with other affiliated unions, had initially decided to stage the union action under three phases. The first phase was initiated as a ‘work-to-rule’ union action. In the second phase, all employees reported sick leave in two groups on 17 and 18 September, during which a demonstration was also staged opposite the CEB head office. As the next step, union members refrained from participating in certain committee activities, including withdrawing from tender committees, as a way of demonstrating the escalation of their protest against the Government. 

Although several days have passed since the action commenced on 4 September, the CEBEU stated that the authorities have so far failed to engage in discussions to resolve their concerns. Accordingly, union members met for a decisive discussion yesterday to decide on the next step to oppose the Government’s process to restructure the CEB.