Bus strike called off following MS assurance: Unions

3 July 2016 11:47 am - 5 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The island wide private bus strike which was scheduled from midnight tonight has been called off, the All Island Private Bus Company Federation (AIPBCF) said.

Several private bus owner unions had earlier called an islandwide strike, scheduled to commence midnight today over the revision of fares.

The unions demanded a 15 percent bus fare increase.

AIPBCF General Secretary Anjana Priyanjith said the members of the unions had met President Maithripala Sirisena this morning and had discussed the matter.

“We called off the strike after the President assured that he would look into the matter within three days”, he said.

The Lanka Private Bus Owners Association (LPBOA) Chairman Gemunu Wijeratne said the unions agreed to call off the strike as the discussion held with President was successful.

“The President acknowledged that bus fares should be revised,” he said.

Mr. Wijeratne said another meeting would be held next week with President, the Prime Minister and the Transport Minister.

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Comments - 5

Unchikun Sunday, 03 July 2016 12:11 PM

The bus crews work on a daily basis. Let them stop work for a week and you may get my point. Ignore these demands and unions! Get a prop public transport system run by reputable companies. Problems will be solved!

Onlooker Sunday, 03 July 2016 01:45 PM

Who killed the public transport system ? Ask Ranil he will tell you.

Sri Sunday, 03 July 2016 02:35 PM

Please bring back the CTB. These guys are nothing but trouble to the commuters and the traffic. The commuters are treated like dogs and these guys are the biggest traffic offenders

Manuel Benjamin Sunday, 03 July 2016 07:21 PM

Mr. President, please replace the Transport Minister Nimal Siripala as he does not know how to talk to people.

PB Monday, 04 July 2016 03:56 AM

Perhaps if the govt. had increased the fare their would have been no need for a strike. bus fare was the one thing in Sri Lanka that was REDUCED after the fuel price reduction. But other costs keep going up. It is only fair the govt looks into it. Perhaps the fault is with the govt in this case for not looking into the problem in a timely manner and waiting till they striked

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Bus strike called off following MS assurance: Unions

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