Several railway trade unions decide not to join token strike tomorrow

Several trade unions in Sri Lanka Railways have announced that their members would not join the planned token strike tomorrow (March 15), the General Manager of Railways says.

Speaking on the matter, railways chief W.A.D.S. Gunasinghe said discussions were held with all trade unions in the sector.

Locomotive engine operators have pledged support for the collective trade union action while the Railway Guards’ Union, Station Masters’ Union, Railway Controllers’ Association and several other trade unions decided otherwise.

Mr. Gunasinghe said a request made from the Locomotive Engine Operators’ Union to call off their 24-hour token strike tomorrow has fallen on deaf ears.

Ahead of the planned strike action of the locomotive engine operators, the leave of all categories of staff in the Railway Department has been cancelled with effect from today (March 14) until further notice.

Railways chief has notified all the heads of the department to submit a report of the employees who do not report to work tomorrow (March 15), after asking them to show cause.

Railway service was declared an essential service in a special gazette notification issued by President Ranil Wickremesinghe on February 27.

A collective trade union action launched by multiple sectors including health, education, electricity and ports is taking place this week, against the recent decisions made by the government including the tax policy revision, electricity tariff hike and postponement of the local government election.