Wednesday 16 July 2008

NTUC, other unions to stage 3 day strike soon

The JVP's National Trade Union Centre (NTUC) will stage a three day strike in the near future as a follow up to its July 10 token strike, parliamentarian Lalkantha, the Union's president said at a media conference today. He said that the decision to hold the three day strike was taken at a NTUC meeting yesterday. Three TUs - United Workers’ Party, Government United Labour Federation and Cooperative and Mercantile Union - have already expressed solidarity with the decision of the NTUC, he said.

Their demands of Rs.5000/- salary increase and payment of Rs.2/- for each COL index remained unchanged while the demand for subsidy on public transport was amended to add fuel subsidy for three-wheelers and vehicles transporting school children, Lalkantha said.

They will shortly hold discussions with all TUs that joined their July 10 token strike and others who expressed solidarity with their token strike to decide on the date for the three-day strike, he said.
The NTUC and other unions will hold a series of pocket meetings in all sectors as a prelude to the proposed three day strike and the first meeting of the series will be held at the national hospital on July 21, he also said. The meeting will be followed by meetings in all other sectors, including in the estate sector and a signature campaign insisting on the demands will be held, he said. The list of signatures with a petition insisting on the demands will be forwarded to President Mahinda Rjapakse, Lankakantha said.

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