Presidential candidates urged to divulge their policies for private sector employees

Sri Lanka’s 10 million workers in the formal and informal private sectors have so far been out of the radar of three front running presidential candidates as there is no indication whatsoever in their policy statements on seeking support.

Of this total number, eight million are in the informal private sector such as the private commuter transport service, the trishaws, small cafes and canteens, shopping complexes, security guards in private security services and contract employees in manpower agencies.

On behalf of these 10 million workers the Sri Lanka IndustriALL Council of five trade unions has called on the three frontline presidential candidates to make public their respective policies and proposals to meet the demands being made by those employees.

The trade unions have made 10 proposals to presidential candidates expecting them to be included in their policy statements to fulfil it if any one of them is elected president of this country. They are:

1. Key presidential election contenders should protect the worker’s right to be a member in a union of his or her choice making it mandatory for Employers to adhere to and implement ILO Conventions No: 87 and 98.

2. Key candidates must agree to submit a draft National Labour Policy to the public and private sector trade unions.

3. The unions point out that a 40-hour working week with an 8-hour work day and the national minimum wage of Rs.13,500 per month is not at all sufficient with the present cost of living. Therefore the trade unions demand the key presidential candidates to make a firm pledge before the public that they will take steps to increase the minimum monthly salary to Rs. 25,000 and also adjust the cost of living allowance once in every two years in line with the Cost of Living (COL).

4. Presidential candidates must take necessary measures to include a permanent representation of workers in the management of the EPF. Around 2.5 million workers who are active members of the EPF with others who have been made inactive members of the fund for numerous reasons totalling 8 million workers who are the owners of this fund, have no access to information and to its management. The present management of the EPF is not held responsible to the members of the fund and this leads to massive corruption.

5. They also demand that the candidates take steps to ratify ILO Convention 190 adopted at the ILO Sessions in 2019 on all types of violence at work and have laws enacted accordingly and also appoint a lady officer with legal powers at FTZs and at district level to accept complaints with strict confidentiality and investigate sexual harassment.

6. The unions reject the proposed draft Single Labour Law that seeks to deprive workers of their rights for the benefit of employers. They asked the key candidates as to whether they will bring such law in any form if elected President of the country or not.

7. Present and past regimes spend billions of rupees on infrastructure facilities, allowed tax relief, tax holidays and other privileges for investors saying such is necessary to provide employment for youth. Yet without creating a conducive situation to attract local labour, both local and foreign investors project an image of labour scarcity in the country to legally import foreign labour. In this set up “Would you as president if elected refrain from drafting laws to import labour for jobs our youth should be employed, unless they are specialised employment where we don’t have qualified personnel?” they asked.

8. They also asked presidential candidates as to whether any one of them if elected would withdraw the AntiTerrorism Act proposed to replace the existing Prevention of Terrorism Act which deprives workers and other oppressed people the right to protest as citizens of a democratic country.

9. Department of Labour that in the past contributed immensely for the welfare of workers has now become very inefficient and needs serious reforms to make it efficient once again. Sri Lanka IndustriALL Council urged that it be reorganised for better efficiency and to bring about industrial peace with a new industrial policy.

10. ‘‘Would you if elected president take immediate steps to present to the parliament all Acts that by now have cabinet approval prohibiting employees on sub contract for permanent positions, ensuring health safety islandwide and decide the retirement age of private sector employees as 60 years?” they asked all three leading candidates.

This letter was sent to presidential candidates Sajith Premadasa, Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Anura Kumara Dissanayake under the signatures of Lesley Devendra, General Secretary – Sri Lanka Nidahas Sevaka Sangamaya; Sylvester Jayakody, General Secretary – General Services Industrial and Employees Union General Workers Union, (CMU); Anton Marcus, Joint Secretary – Free Trade Zones and Ceylon Mercantile Workers Union; Linus Jayathilaka, President – United Federation of Labour and Palitha Athukorala, President – National Union of Seafarers Sri Lanka.