Another train strike: President buys time till Thursday

Questions on how he will resolve the issue in three days

In a bid to prevent another railway strike, President Maithripala Sirisena met trade union representatives all by himself yesterday and bought time till Thursday.

How he will resolve the issues in just three days is unclear when a Commission has still not been appointed to address salary anomalies in the state sector.

However, Lal Ariyaratne, co-convenor of the Railway trade unions that met President Sirisena declared, ‘We are asking the Government to implement the recommendations made by the Transport Ministry and already approved by the Cabinet”.

In the discussions which the President held yesterday without the presence of officials or aides, Mr. Ariyaratne said he had sought time till Thursday to respond to their immediate demands. “We look forward to meeting him on that day to get his response,” he said.

Among the demands which the rail- way unions claim have been approved by the Cabinet is a declaration that the railway is a closed service where any salary increment granted will not apply to other state sectors. The Cabinet also approved a salary increase, unions say.

However, the implementation of the proposals was held back following objections from the Finance Ministry that it would affect other public sector salaries.

The Cabinet this week decided to appoint a commission to study the implications of implementing the proposals and submit its recommendations.

Taking part in the meeting with the President yesterday were 12 representatives from four unions -- the Railway Guards' Union, the Station Masters' Union, the Train Controllers' Union, and the Locomotive Operating Engineers' Union.

A sudden railway strike launched by the unions crippled train services for several days until it was called off after the union leaders met the President in Polonnaruwa on Sunday August 12.