A day for the working masses

The world will celebrate yet another Labour Day (May Day) on Saturday. This is a day for the working classes of the world to champion their rights and raise their voice against various injustices in their workplaces.

May Day has a history of over 100 years and is celebrated even in some of the most staunchly capitalist countries. After all, the labour movement that finally resulted in the May Day holiday originated in the United States, where no one would expect the birth of such a movement.

Workers in Sri Lanka have been celebrating May Day for many decades. Over the years, May Day has been transformed into a political event based loosely on the significance of the day for the working class. It has become an opportunity for political parties to show their grassroots strength and also their affinity to the working masses. Although one can no longer witness the massive May Day rallies of yesteryear, the day has still not lost its significance in our country.

In fact, it is very hard to separate the labour movement from politics. The workers in many organisations are represented by trade unions which are for the most part affiliated to the major political parties. There are some stand-alone trade unions, but they find it hard to raise their voice without the backing of a political party.

Sri Lanka has a vibrant trade union sector, especially in the one-million strong government workforce. Politically-oriented trade unions are almost non-existent in the private sector, but there are some non-political trade unions. Most private sector companies generally do not tolerate trade unions, but this is beginning to change. There also are a number of powerful professionals' trade unions which are essentially non-political. But they do have immense clout, mainly because the services they render are essential to the public.

Most trade unions are well known for making demands from the Government in power. For this reason, many trade unions are nearly always at loggerheads with the Government. Some of the demands are reasonable, but most are not. Sri Lanka's trade unions have a predilection for demanding higher salaries for their workforce, regardless of the economic situation of the country.

Trade unions should stop the current practice of resorting to strikes at the drop of a hat if their demands are not met. That should be a last resort, to be considered only when negotiations with the authorities fail. They should stop taking the public 'hostage' when they strike to win their demands. Unfortunately, this is what happens when medical professionals and workers, road transport/rail/port workers and employees in several other fields strike. If doctors at government hospitals are on strike, where can the poor patients go? After all, only a certain percentage of patients can afford private channelling and private hospitals.

But do workers and trade unions pause to think of their obligations to their organisations and to the public ? This rarely happens. There are many workers in the Government sector who do not fulfil their duties honestly. They are not punctual in the first place and do not discharge their responsibilities to the best of their ability within the allotted eight hours (40 hours a week).

Employer-employee relations are very important in this respect. All employers, government or private, must respect labour laws and rights. It was recently reported that some private sector employers had not granted leave for employees to vote at the general election. This is just one example for the violation of employees' rights by certain employers. There are regular instances of such violations, as seen in labour tribunals and courts. A smooth relationship between the two sides - often called 'industrial peace' - is necessary for the smooth functioning of any organisation. This minimises problems and ensures a contented workforce. Trade unions can act as a mediator between the two sides but they should not overstep their boundaries.

Another important aspect of work that both employers and employees often neglect is safety at work. Many jobs come laden with 'occupational hazards' but most employers often do not equip their workers with the required safety information and gear. Apart from occupational hazards per se, some workplaces do not have adequate structural and fire safety. Ventilation and sanitary facilities are also inadequate in some workplaces. Sri Lanka does not have the horrendous 'sweat shops' that some countries are reputed to have, but there is room for improvement. Regulations governing such facilities should be introduced without delay.

Another irritant is that there still is a disparity between the salary scales of male and female workers in some sectors. This should not be the case. Women workers, especially in labour-intensive jobs, are generally known to be more productive. 'Equal work, equal salaries' should be the guideline.

Yet another negative point is that most Sri Lankan workplaces are not disabled-friendly. Most organisations which claim to be 'equal opportunity' employers are reluctant to welcome disabled employees to their ranks. There obviously are certain jobs that a disabled person will not be able to do but there are many that they can do, without any problem. For example, no one expects a visually impaired person to be able to drive a bus, but he or she can easily become a telephone operator with some training. This is another aspect that labour authorities must look into. They should study International Labour Organisation (ILO) guidelines as well as labour regulations in other countries in this regard.

In fact, Sri Lanka has been working closely with the ILO for several decades. Sri Lanka has signed many Labour Conventions and Charters which had helped workers around the country. This fruitful relationship should continue for the betterment of the working class. Sri Lanka has many labour achievements to its credit as it gears to meet the Millennium Development Goals stipulated by the United Nations. Child labour is minimal, though there are other aberrations such as child abuse.

Those who are employed, be it in the Government, private or even in self-employment sectors must bear one thing in mind: they have a job. On the other hand, there are thousands who do not have a job at all. This is one more reason why the employed must be determined to do an honest job, literally.

Sri Lanka's unemployment rate is very low, but it would be beneficial to the economy if more jobs can be created here and abroad for the unemployed youth.

This must be a priority for the new labour, agriculture, industries and foreign employment ministers. The revival of the North and the East will also create a large number of employment opportunities. Zero unemployment should be the ultimate target.