National Trade Union Centre has started a struggle demanding a salary increase by Rs 10,000/-. A spokesman for the Centre said that they will launch the struggle by an island-wide poster campaign. He said with the increasing cost of living all public and private sector employees’ salaries should be increased by Rs 10,000 minimum.
An average monthly cost of a family when Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa came into power in 2006 was Rs 25,344/- whereas today it has increased to Rs 42,224/- according to official data. Consequently the cost of living has increased by Rs 16,880 during Mahinda Rajapaksa regime alone. The Government has increased to a total of Rs 6436.50 from time to time and a sum of Rs 10,443.61 increase should be granted to the employees, emphasizes the Trade Union Centre.
They assert if the Government ignores this demand their struggle may extend up to a general strike.
LT