SLIC unions resort to strikes, protest to the President over irregularities

Union workers at the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation (SLIC) has said the SLIC has become a failed business entity with even the Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) accepting that there has been bad management at the organisation.

Sarath Nandalal, President, Sri Lanka Insurance Employees Union told the Business Times that they met Treasury Secretary Dr. P. B. Jayasundera to find solutions to the issues concerning the deteriorating conditions at SLIC. Dr, Jayasundera, according to Mr. Nandalal, has conceded that the entire structure of the corpora- tion is failing and he would communicate his decision to the SLIC unions.

Mr. Nandalal said that they are awaiting Dr. Jayasundera’s communication and they would thereafter plan out trade union strategies.

Six trade unions, formed into a federation, have said in a statement that the crisis at the SLIC arisen due to the arrogant management procedures adopted by top management.

In addition to these issues, salary anomalies and promotions of workers have also not been settled for a long time with workers launching protests urging the managing director to resign.

The protest included a letter to President Mahinda Rajapaksa signed by 1,800 SLIC employees (75 per cent of the work force).

The union statement said that due to the mounting pressure of the workers, the SLIC Chairman convened a meeting with the trade unions on September 25 and during that meeting the unions insisted that either the managing director should be interdicted or be sent on compulsory leave and a proper and transparent investigation carried out to ascertain alleged corruption in the institution.

It said the dispute has been further aggravated due to the silence of the SLIC Chairman who is a reputed businessman.