The struggle to get an increase of Rs.10,000 for the salary of state employees has begun and the National Trade Union Center (NTUC) would take measures to turn it into a broad peoples’ struggle says the President of NTUC and former Parliamentarian K.D. Lal Kanthe.
Mr. Lal Kanthe said this addressing a meeting of trade union representatives held yesterday (19th) to announce the agreement between a number of trade unions regarding taking collective trade union action with the struggle to win the Rs.10,000 salary increase.
The meeting was attended by representatives of a large number of trade unions including the President of United Workers Federation Linus Jayatilleke, Gen. Secretary of Socialist Estate Workers’ Union Mahinda Dewage, Gen. Secretary of Independent Ceylon Teachers Union Kahagalle, Inter Company Employees’ Union Wasanthe Samarasinghe and the Gen. Secretary of All Ceylon Trade Union Federation Samanthe Koralearachchi.
Mr. Lal Kanthe speaking regarding the salary struggle said they would take measures on one hand to get trade unions to join the struggle that has already begun on a national scale and on the other measures would be taken to make the working masses aware to get them to join the struggle. He said the struggle would be made a broad people’s struggle by getting employees in the private sector too to join the struggle.
The President of United Workers Federation Linus Jayatilleke said the slogan put forward by the NTUC is appropriate and meaningful, He said there is no argument regarding it and his trade unions fully agree with the decision to struggle for the salary increase.
LT