“Smart Shirts workers at home on half pay”

Smart Shirts Lanka Ltd has sent a letter saying there was “erroneous and misleading information” in last week’s Business Times (BT) story titled “Smart Shirts workers at home on half pay”. The letter states that with reference to the story that “the Smart Shirts Company with about four factories has asked its 2000 workforce to remain at home since May and continued to pay half wages”, the factual position is that the company has eight factories operating in Kotadeniyawa, Katana, Hunnasgiriya, Pallekele,

Katunayake etc with a workforce of 5,700 out of which 50 per cent attend work who are paid full salary and the rest remaining at home are paid 50 per cent of the basic salary.

It said that a substantial number of employees are “unattended to work since the company is compelled to reach the production limits by a minimum number of employees in compliance with the prevailing health regulations as well as lack of orders due to post COVID impact”.

With reference to the BT report that the Smart Shirts Company submitted an application to the Termination Unit of the Department of Labour whereas the authorities will be calling for an inquiry, the letter states that this is incorrect. “The company has not submitted any application in such nature or whatsoever to the Termination Unit of the Department of Labour to terminate/lay off the employees and to the best of our knowledge there is no inquiry pending before the Commissioner General of Labour,” Smart Shirts said.