BANK EMPLOYEES’ UNION DEMAND PAY RISE
The government had failed to increase salaries for banking sector workers, The Ceylon Bank Employees’ Union charged on Tuesday.
“We need an increase in our salaries and we haven’t received an answer about it or had discussions regarding the matter,” Union president Amarapala Gamage said.
The Union had decided to take serious trade union action regarding this matter he added. “Rising living costs make it vital that we get this raise and now we have been forced to adhere to more drastic action regarding this,” he said.
He added that numerous attempts had been
The Union urges the government increase the salaries of High grade, Middle grade and Lower grader workers by 25%, 18% and 15% respectively.
made to hold discussions with the State Bank management and the government but none of them had been successful.
“The State bank management had taken its own decision without our consent,” he said.
The State Bank management had increased salaries by unfair percentages and had gone up to the Director Board with these figures for appro- val, he noted.
“What we ask for is a fair raise in our salaries and as an essential part of the country’s economy we deserve it,” Gamage said. The Union urged that the govt should increase the salaries of High grade, Middle grade and Lower grader workers by 25%, 18% and 15% respectively.
However they were open to discussion with the relevant authorities, Gamage said.
The workers
of
the banking sector would take to the streets on April 24 at 3.15 p.m. if the government did not respond, said Channa Dissanayake, the General Secretary of the Union.
“We have no choice but to get in to the streets if the government does not even want to discuss the matter with us” he said. He added that workers would refrain from doing overtime from April 9 to April 11 prior to the trade union action on April 24.