President committed to welfare of working class - Alavi Moulana

by P. Krishnaswamy

Western Province Governor and President of the SLFP Trade Union Federation, Alavi Moulana, one of the pioneers of the trade union movement in Sri Lanka told the Sunday Observer that President Mahinda Rajapaksa is a labour-friendly national leader who is committed to the welfare of the working class. The President was instrumental in the introduction and implementation of legislation protecting the rights of the workers, he said.

The UPFA Government, under President Rajapaksa, would strive towards achieving its themes at yesterday’s May Day rally and the resolutions adopted on safeguarding the rights of the working class, their economic and social uplift, peace and strength, the country and strengthening of the private sector.

The UNP is a typical anti-labour political party which has a long history of betraying the working class and violently suppressing trade-union struggles. During President J.R.Jayewardene’s regime, 107,000 public sector employees were thrown out on the streets. Trade Union rallies and demonstrations of the SLFP trade union were attacked on many occasions with several participants killed and many critically wounded including veteran leftist leader Dr.Colvin R. de Silva, he said.

“The UNP cannot celebrate May Day. It has no right to a May Day” Governor Mowlana said.

Commenting on the themes of the Ceylon Mercantile, Industrial and General Workers’ Union (CMU) at yesterday’s May Day rally which includes the `full implementation of the Sri Lanka National Workers’ Charter that was introduced by President Rajapaksa in September 1995 when he was Minister of Labour, Governor Mowlana said that, the UPFA Government will fall in line with those themes and resolutions and will support the cause of the CMU.

CMU General Secretary Bala Tampoe is one of the surviving pioneers of the trade union movement in Sri Lanka, his associate and robust fellow trade unionist for nearly six decades who voiced and struggled with an indomitable spirit for the rights of the working-class, Moulana said.