Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka trade unions demonstrate against government and judiciary

Thursday, 04 October 2007

Trade unions belonging to Sri Lanka public service, semi-government and private sector jointly staged a massive demonstration on Wednesday afternoon in front of Colombo Fort railway station blocking traffic for nearly an hour in protest of the government's manipulation of judiciary to suppress the trade union rights.

More than 2,000 workers took part in the demonstration who chanted slogans against the government and the judiciary for breaching workers’ rights.

Addressing the gathering Health Service Trade Union Alliance Convener Saman Rathnapriya said that striking work was a recognised right of bargaining under the ILO convention signed by the government.

He said that Trade Union Ordinance and the constitution of Sri Lanka too respect the right of workers to organize and act. He, however, said that the judiciary involvement in recent strikes such as railway, harbor, telecom and teachers violated that right.

Organisers said 68 independent trade unions representing around half a million workers participated in the protest.

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