SLTB strike ends

L. S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

The SLTB services will return to normalcy soon. The meeting among Transport Minister Dulles Alahapperuma, trade unions, Treasury officials and the SLTB held on Friday (10) evening ended with an agreement to call off the strike, said the Media Secretary to the Ministry of Transport Sumith Weerasingha.

He said employees in some SLTB depots in the Southern, and the Sabaragamuwa provinces returned to work on Saturday morning.

Employees in the Southern region SLTB depots struck last Monday (6) and later the strike spread to several other areas including Kalutara, Colombo, Gampaha, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Kandy and Matale.

Among the main demands of the strikers were a festival advance of Rs. 5,000 to SLTB employees similar to those paid to public servants a cost of living allowance of Rs. 4,500 a month and Rs. 10,000 paid immediately as COL arrears of Rs. 34,500 due to SLTB employees.