Sri Lanka Railways Forum

Trade union suppression in the Railway Department following the July 10 strike has irked its employees, All Ceylon Railway Employees General Union (ACREGU) told The Morning Leader.

Employees allied to the JVP affiliated ACREGU have come under attack following the July 10 token strike and instructions have allegedly been given to all heads of departments to submit the names of the strikers by the General Manager Dr. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan for disciplinary action according to ACREGU.

The GMR’s failure to accept the employees’ grievances over the rising cost of living (CoL) has resulted in the trade union suppression alleged General Secretary, ACREGU, Sumathipala Manawadu.

“Resorting to trade union action to win the demands of the workers is legalised in the constitution and also it is a right of the workers according to International Labour Law. Knowing fully well that the employees had acted within their rights, neither the railway minister nor the GMR have any right to collect the names of strikers to take disciplinary action,” Manawadu said.

According to Manawadu, most of the railway employees who joined the token strike said that Minister Dulles Alahapperuma’s goons prevented the railway drivers from joining the strike.

“The government knew what the consequences of the strike would be and the drivers who were to leave after work on Wednesday (9) evening were prevented from leaving by the government sponsored thugs. Most of them who were to join the strike were manhandled by the thugs on Wednesday, July 9, evening,” Manawadu charged.

Criticising government efforts to suppress the trade union members the ACREGU has sent a letter to President Mahinda Rajapakse seeking his intervention but to no avail.

“Although we sent a letter to the President so far he has failed to even acknowledge our letter. This shows that Minister Alahapperuma has received the Presidents blessings,” charged Manawadu.

General Manager Railways Dr. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan was not available for comment.

By Nirmala Kannangara
Source: The Morning Leader

Tags: avail, ceylon, disciplinary action, employees grievances, general secretary, gmr, goons, government efforts, international labour law, letter to the president, mahinda rajapakse, railway department, railway employees, railway minister, railways, strikers, token strike, trade union members

                            

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