Image: The statement calls for the immediate reinstatement of the UFL and its representative Swasthika Arulingam onto the NLAC.
Blatant Exclusion of Women from Decision Making on Labour Policy
– Only Woman Member Excluded from the NLAC by Ministry of Labour
The Sri Lankan Government’s response to the debt crisis has blatantly ignored the voices and needs of working class women. The brunt of the economic crisis has been borne by women just as the brunt of the recovery proposals are being borne by women. Women will pay disproportionately for the odious debt and economic crisis generated by the corruption and recklessness of Sri Lanka’s economic and political elite.
Under the guise of increasing female labour participation, employers are heavily lobbying the Ministry of Labour to remove protections for women who engage in night work. Employers are also flagrantly advocating for legal changes to weaken social security nets, encourage a culture of hire-and-fire, and remove maternity protections for women.
It is in this context that the Minister of Labour has taken the extraordinary step to remove the only woman on the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC). The NLAC is a tripartite body consisting of Employers’ Organisations, Unions and the Government. It is the only national-level body convened between these three stakeholders to consult and cooperate on policies affecting workers in the country. Even though the NLAC was established in 1994, there has not been a female member until 2021, which was when Swasthika Arulingam was appointed by the United Federation of Labour (UFL) as its permanent representative.
The UFL is a federation of many Unions including the Commercial and Industrial Workers; Union (CIWU) of which Swasthika Arulingam is the current President. Her appointment as a permanent member of the NLAC was hailed as historic as it was the first time a federation of Unions chose a woman to represent them at the NLAC. In this role, too, she strongly advocated against policies to remove labour protections for women. She has also pushed for the inclusion of more Unions and particularly women-led Unions into the NLAC. As an Attorney-at-Law, her legal expertise was an enormous asset in negotiations on labour regulations and policies. The presence of such a person is monumentally important at a time when Sri Lanka’s working poor and particularly women are languishing in poverty.
In mid-May 2023, the Minister of Labour in a move to reconstitute the NLAC, imposed arbitrary criteria relating to unions’ membership in order to qualify for nominations and appointment.
This move effectively disqualified UFL from receiving a nomination and thus removed the only woman representing workers in Sri Lanka. Given that the only legal criteria for the selection of Organisations and Unions is that they be the “most representative”, we are shocked and utterly dismayed that the only woman and an eminently capable representative of workers has been prevented from serving on the NLAC. We believe her to be the best representative to serve the interests and concerns of all female workers in Sri Lanka, particularly at this time of enormous economic crisis and this exclusion is a serious undermining of women’s labour rights.
The NLAC should not be an exclusive body which has members selected at the will and
fancy of the Minister of Labour. Neither should membership strength be the sole criteria for
inclusion into the NLAC – this leaves out many sectors which have a weakened Union
membership due to the extensive union busting and unfair labour practices of employers,
particularly in the export sector which employs many women. It is essential to include more
unions irrespective of their membership strength and to give due recognition to women-led
unions to strengthen and protect the labour rights of working women in Sri Lanka.
Accordingly, we the undersigned call for:
- the immediate reinstatement of the UFL and its representative Swasthika
Arulingam onto the NLAC - the immediate increase in the representation of women Union members on the NLAC
- consulting the women’s labour force and women-led labour collectives on all labour law and policy reforms by increasing the number of Unions, especially women-led Unions, represented on the NLAC
SIGNATORIES
Individuals
- A.A. Avindi
- Ajitha
- M.R.S.B. Roshan
- M.S.D. Perera
- Aakiya Amen
- Agastra Lima
- Amalini de Sayrah
- Amali Wedagedara
- Amila Sandaruwan – Teacher
- Anberiya Hanifa
- Angelica Chandrasekeran
- Anithra Varia
- Anuratha Rajaretnam
- Anushaya Collure
- Arjuna Parakrama – University of Peradeniya
- Asanka Abeyrathna
- Ashila Dandeniya
- Asoka Mala Vithana
- Gowthaman
- K.S.C. Rodrigo
- Sukitha
- Bisliya Bhutto
- Buhari Mohamed
- Ranitha Gnanarajah – AAL
- Chamila Thushari
- Chandra Devanarayana
- Chandrika Gadiewasam – Freelance Writer
- Chathura Kumara Jayawardana
- Chintaka Rajapakse
- A. Rumeshi Hansika
- Deekshya Illangasinghe
- Dhanusha Pathirana
- Dilrukshi Handunnetti – AAL, Activist & Journalist
- Geethika Dharmasinghe
- Kumudu Kusum Kumara
- P.P. Sivapragasam
- Sakuntala Kadirgamar
- G. Manjula Pradeep Kumara
- M.H.M.K. Ekanayake
- Faaiz Ameer
- Fathima Nabeela Iqbal
- Fawzul Rifaya
- Subitha
- Ushanthini
- George Selvarasa Jeyanthan
- Abeyrathna
- Rusith Kaushan
- Heleshika Ekanayaka
- Herman Kumara
- Iresha Maduwanthi
- D.H. Francisco
- Thayalini
- Varayalini
- Jehanki Anandha
- Joanne Senn
- Joseph Stalin
- Jothiraj Jegatheeswaran
- Juwairiya Mohideen
- Chandima Kumari
- Hemalatha
- J. Brito Fernando
- Pathmapriya
- S. Ratnavale – AAL
- Saththiyaseelan
- Kanchana Sandamali
- Lakmali Hemachandra
- Lakmali Liyanage
- Lal Wijenayake
- Ayanthika
- Nirmalathevi
- P.S.T. Manamendra
- Rishini Dilshani
- Sitralega – Independent Feminist Researcher, Batticaloa
- Madhubhashini R. Rathnayaka
- Mahaluxmy Kurushanthan
- Mahendran Thiruvarangan – University of Jaffna
- Manel Priyanthi Danarathna
- Marisa de Silva
- Arththigan
- Nagulan Nesiah
- Nalini Rathnarajah – Activist
- Natasha Van-Hoff
- Neil Priyantha Fernando – Social Activist
- Nihal Ahamed
- Nilshan Fonseka
- S. Gamage
- Pasan Jayasinghe
- Peter Rezel – Chartered Accountant
- Pradeepa Krishanthi
- Prasad Gamage
- Priyangika Kumarawardena
- Priyanthi Fernando
- Puni Selvaratnam – Women for Justice and Peace in Sri Lanka
- Kounthini
- Ranjan – AAL
- Robinson
- Saththiya
- Rajany Rajeshwary
- Rajkumar Rajeevkanth
- Rebecca David
- Dr. Jayan Peiris
- Fr. Nandana Manatunga
- Rifsana Fiqry
- Roshani Ratnayake
- Ruwan Laknath Jayakody
- C.C. Elankovan
- Easwary
- Ethayarani
- Kopika
- Mariyarosalin
- Nilany
- Niththika
- Suganthi
- Tharsan
- Thileepan
- W.K.S. Malkanthi
- Sandun Thudugala
- Sarala Emmanuel – Batticaloa
- Shamala Kumar – University of Peradeniya
- Shivantha Rathnayake
- Shreen Saroor
- Shyamali Amarasinghe
- Siritunga Jayasuriya – General Secretary, United Socialist Party
- Sithara Kularathna
- Sithumi Navoda
- Sridevi
- Sripalan Jency
- Sugath Rajapaksha
- Sumathy Sivamohan – University of Peradeniya
- Sunanda Deshapriya – Journalist, Writer and Human Rights Activist
- Suren D. Perera – AAL
- Surenthiny Thamiliny
- G.S. Dharmasiri
- Nithya Gayani
- Teja Wanshika
- Tharindu Uduwaragedara
- Thavarajah Jananthan
- Thilina Madiwala
- Tisaranee Gunasekara
- Shamini
- Vaas Gunawardane – Principal
- Vanie Simon
- Fr. Samuel J. Ponniah
- A.I. Swarnahansi
- G. Hasitha Lakshan
- M. Harshani
- M. Kumari
- M.P. Warnakulasuriya
- M. Iresha Madhuwanthi
- Yogalingam Vijitha
Organisations/Trade Unions
- Ampara District Alliance for Land Rights
- Centre for Working Women
- Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU)
- Coalition of Agricultural Workers International (CAWI)
- Dabindu Collective Union
- Eastern Social Development Foundation (ESDF)
- Families of the Disappeared (FoD)
- Fisheries Women’s Federation
- Forum for a Plural Democracy
- Free Women
- Health Workers Centre
- Human Elevation Organisation (HEO)
- Human Rights Office (HRO)
- Illupaikadavai Women’s Rural Development Society
- Institute of Social Development (ISD)
- Islamic Women’s Association for Research and Empowerment (IWARE)
- Ithikandal Women’s Rural Development Society
- Joint Committee of Democratic Trade Unions
- Joint Development Officers Centre
- Joint Engineering Corporation Employees Union
- Joint Health Workers’ Union
- Joint Nursing Service Union
- Joint Piriven Teachers Service Union
- Joint Port Workers Union
- Joint Railway Employees Union
- Joint Teacher’s Service Union
- Joint Unemployed Graduates Association
- Joint Water Supply Workers Union
- Kalliyady Women’s Rural Development Society
- Kaththalampiddy Women’s Rural Development Society
- Law and Society Trust (LST)
- Liberation Movement
- Malarum Mottukal
- Mannar Women’s Development Federation (MWDF)
- Mass Movement for Social Justice (MMSJ), Colombo
- Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR)
- Muslim Women’s Research and Action Forum
- Muslim Women Development Trust (MWDT)
- National Fisheries Solidarity Movement (NAFSO)
- National Peace Council (NPC)
- Neduvarampu Women’s Rural Development Society
- Paliyaru Women’s Rural Development Society
- Plantation Workers Centre
- Private Employees Centre
- Puttalam District Women’s Self Employment and Reconciliation Forum
- Revolutionary Existence for Human Development (RED)
- Rural Development Foundation
- Savirikulam Women’s Rural Development Society
- Shramabhimani Kendraya
- Sisterhood Initiative
- Sri Lanka All Telecommunication Employees’ Union
- Stand Up Movement Lanka
- Stand Up Workers Union
- Star Women’s Society, Puttalam
- Thedal Women’s Society
- United Left Force (ULF)
- Vallamai Movement for Social Change
- Veddaiyanmurippu Women’s Rural Development Society
- Voice of Women in the Northern Province
- Women Farmers Forum Batticaloa
- Women’s Solidarity Front (WSF)
- Women Development Innovators
- Women’s Action Network (WAN)
- Workers Solidarity Union
- Workers Struggle Centre
- Working Women Front