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| Sunday, 4 May 2003 |
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Govt. trying to cut workers' benefits by Deepal Warnakulasuriya "Today the working masses have something to safeguard more than winning something. The present government is trying to cut the benefits which have been won by the working people in the country. The Government has quietly introduced new rules and regulations to deprive the rights of the working people", Chairman of the Public Service Trade Union Forum, W.H.Piyadasa, said. Mr. Piyadasa said that the UNF government has completely forgotten the working people in the country and they have chosen a way of imperialism. He also said that the Trade Unions have already arranged a long process to defeat this situation and that they would force the government to have a national economic policy which suits the country. He further said that they will also protest against the privatisation process. Secretary to the Inter Companies Employees' Union, S.Amarasinghe said that the working people in the country today have to struggle to preserve the rights won by sacrificing lives, among other things. He said that the government follows the World Bank charter to the letter and the working people have been completely sidelined. Amarasinghe said that almost all the parties that ruled the country had used their own ways to thrash the working mass. "Now we have come to the most dangerous situation and the government has begun to cut off the workers' rights making new rules and regulations. The government has introduced a number of circulars to curb the workers' rights. New recruitments and promotions have been stopped. All the existing vacancies and pension scheme have been cancelled and the government has also arranged to increase the eight working hours to 12," the ICEU Secretary said. He further added that they have understood the necessity of having one trade union force to defeat the precarious situation and have already gathered over 100 trade unions and was setting up "the Organisation to Protect United Sri Lanka and Workers' Rights". He said that they will make a "national policy for workers" with no parties or colours, but which represent all the working people in the country. Amarasinghe also said that any government that come to power will be forced to adhere to the policy. |
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