Crippling postal strike has the govt. sidestepping
With the Postal Trade Unions (PTU) strike continuing into the 2nd week, the Government has taken contingency measures to mitigate the inconvenience caused to the people.
In one such measure, motorists have been directed to pay traffic fines at District or Divisional Secretariats.
Police Spokesman, Superintendent of Police (SP) Ruwan Gunasekara said, "Under the existing provision, traffic fines should be paid in 14 days. However, as per amendment to the Motor Traffic Act, spot fines can now be paid within 28 days but, the fine would be twice the original fine.
SP Gunasekara said that, court documents, mainly summons, with regard to civil cases, are usually sent via registered post, and also through a fiscal, failing which, they will be handed over through the Grama Niladhari.
The Examinations Department has told candidates sitting State exams, to go for the exams, even if they have not received their Admission forms.
Meanwhile, with Post Offices closed throughout the country, the PTUs insisted their key demands of converting the Postal Service to a 'Closed Service", salary issues and new recruitment procedures, should be met.
Minister of Posts & Postal Services, Abdul Haleem told the Sunday Times, the long term plan to settle the matter is by making the Postal Services a 'Closed Department', wherein, salaries and matters regarding to recruitment can be decided independently. Hence, Cabinet has appointed a Committee to resolve matters.
“Delays in the recommendations from other Departments such as the Salaries & Cadre Commission and the Public Administration, to make the body a 'Closed Department', is holding things back,” he said.
The indefinite strike launched on May 11, by 24 PTUs consisting more than 26,000 employees, has caused chaos islandwide.
The PTU's main demand is to adopt new recruitment procedures, as the current procedures have caused crises in the Department. Moreover, they also demand that, confirmation be granted to most of their employees.
United Postal Trade Union Alliance Convener Chinthaka Bandara claimed that more than 130,000 letters and more than 1,000 packages of foreign mail have piled up at the Central Mail Exchange and the Bandaranaike International Airport, respectively, due to the strike.
According to him 3,410 Sub Post Offices and 653 Post Offices remain closed due to the strike.
“The mail piled up currently will take around a week to be cleared. However, if the strike continues then more mail will pile up, with a lot more time required for clearance, in consequence,” he said.