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.
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