Workers Charter to meet shortcomings - CFL
The Ceylon Federation of Labour (CFL) General Secretary S.
Siriwardena has appealed that the proliferation of casual employment
without job security or income security has to be checked by bringing
relevant provisions of the workers charter promulgated in 1995 when
President Mahinda Rajapaksa was the Minister of Labour.
The statement released by the CFL to mark May Day this year is as
follows: Since 2006 the authorities are also pushing a policy of wage
disparity between the public and other sectors.
The public sector minimum wage is Rs. 11,730 whereas in the private
sector it is not even Rs. 7,000. The situation of wages in such sectors
as the plantations, co-operatives and State corporations are no better.
The erosion of real wages is acutely felt by workers in these sectors.
The incessant demand of the unions for an all round increase of Rs.
2,500/- has evoked no response from the authorities.
The EPF is being increasingly invested in the stock market putting at
risk the security of working people’s savings.
Further such savings are also subjected to tax. The proliferation of
casual employment without job security or income security has to be
checked by bringing relevant provisions of the Workers Charter
promulgated in 1995 when the President was Minister of Labour.
The Ceylon Federation of Labour appeals to unions in all sectors to
join together and reinforce their collective strength to beat back the
threats emanating from capitalist employers and the authorities who look
after their interest.
The need at the present time is to bring about the widest possible
unity among trade unions. Such a course undertaken by the unions would
no doubt inspire workers both organised and unorganised to stand up
unitedly and fight for decent wages to safeguard their dwindling
livelihoods.
The challenges facing our workers cannot be met without unity in the
trade union movement.
To allow the continued fragmentation of the trade union movement on
the basis of inter union rivalry and politics is irresponsible on all
counts.
A united trade union movement will act as a bulwark against all forms
of injustice discrimination and exploitation.
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