Service of TUs hailed by Minister

by Ananda KANNANGARA

Labour Relations and Manpower Minister Athauda Seneviratne highlighted the enormous service rendered by nearly 2000 public and private sector trade unions for the benefit of over 4.2 million labour force in the country and said that it was pathetic the non recognition of some trade unions has been the main cause for major industrial disputes still taking place within work places.

He made these remarks at the inauguration of the Tripartite Meeting on `Negotiating for Decent Work in the Age of Globalization in South Asia and China', held recently. The meeting was organized to mark the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the ILO Convention 98 on the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining.

At least 100 foreign delegates attended the meeting.

The Minister said the culture of labour relations should be based on recognition of human dignity and reappraising of human work, creating an environment of dialogue and agreement among the social partners.

He emphasised that non recognition of some trade unions is the failure of mutual respect of social partners at work places.

The Minister said our country has a long history of collective bargaining and the first collective agreement was signed in 1929 between the Employers Federation of Ceylon and the Ceylon Trade Union Congress.

He said it was signed to curb militant trade unionism prevalent at that time and it was the first occasion a trade union was given the official recognition by the employers.

Recalling the history of trade unions, Minister Seneviratne said that trade unions in the country was given legal recognition in 1935.

The Minister also recalled some problems faced by our country, such as the tsunami disaster in 2004 that caused extensive damage to people and property.

He also told foreign delegates about the victory over the three decade old Northern war and said the country has now come to a new development arena.