Redress for striking station masters
Sri Lanka Railways (SLR) yesterday said that arrangements have been made to solve the issues put forward by the striking station masters.
The SLR General Manager addressing the media yesterday said they had made arrangements to solve the issues put forward by the Sri Lanka Station Masters’ Union (SLSMU).
Speaking to The Morning Leader Operating Superintendent, SLR, Wijaya Samarasinghe said General Manager Dr. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan had told the officials of the SLSMU that he had already put forward their requests with regard to the salary increments to the Salaries Commission.
“Dr. Gunaruwan had put forward the proposals made by the SLSMU prior to the appointment of the new committee. However the new committee is not agreeable on the proposals put forward by Dr. Gunaruwan to the Salaries Commission. Dr. Gunaruwan explained to the media that he could not recall the proposals that he had already sent to the Salaries Commission,” Samarasinghe said.
“Addressing the issue with regard to those on contract basis and due for retirement Dr. Gunaruwan said that these officers were being employed by the SLR only until examinations are held to take in a new batch of recruits,” Samarasinghe explained.
He went on to say that among the other issues discussed at the press conference was the toilet facilities and the double power sets used in the Samudra Devi train.
“Some of the union officers are not happy about a double power set being used for the Samudra Devi rain. The GM explained to them that due to the dual power set 300 to 400 litres of fuel is being saved per day. With regard to the toilet facilities the GM said that when people travel by bus from Galle to Colombo and vice versa it takes them around four hours. But that people don’t complain that a bus doesn’t have toilet facilities. A train on the other hand takes around two hours to the same destination and therefore the toilet facilities were not a must,” Samarasinghe said.
By Risidra Mendis
Source: Morning Leader
