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| Sunday, 13 February 2005 |
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CTB strike fizzles out by S. Selvakumar & Anton Nonis The walkout launched by a section of the SLCTB cluster bus company employees petered out by yesterday afternoon when the defiant Kalutara depot workers clocked in. In the Galle and Ambalangoda depots strikers prevented non strikers from entering the premises, Secretary Ministry of Transport, Dr. D. S. Jayaweera said. Chairman of the SLCTB sought police assistance to allow no strikers to enter their work places without a hassle. The tussle was due to the non payment of Rs. 2,500 passed in the recent Budget to all state sector employees. The Transport Ministry earlier maintained that this could not be applicable to the SLCTB since the Treasury subsidies millions of rupees each month to sustain the SLCTB. However, the matter has now been referred to the Treasury for a ruling. Transport Minister Felix Perera warned CTB employees who are on strike to report back to work immediately or face dismissal. "The Ministry was not informed of any strike action in advance," Dr. Jayaweera said. Minister Perera had requested the police and the Army to provide security for those workers who turn up to work. Estimates had shown the Rs. 2,500 salary increase would cost the government an additional sum of Rs. 120 million per month. Already, the CTB's annual expenditure is Rs. 120 billion. About 4000 buses are in operation. The authorities say paying any additional amount would be impossible. |
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