Railway employees instructed to report to work

All railway employees had been instructed to report to work as their leave had been cancelled after the gazette declaring the railway service as an essential service was declared, Railways General Manager Dilantha Fernando said today.

Mr. Fernando said any railway employee who did not report to work would be considered to have vacated their posts.

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday signed the special gazette notification declaring the railway service as an essential public service under the Act, No. 61 of 1979.

The gazette notification said the services of any description whatsoever necessary or required to be handled by the Department of Railways including the transport services by rail and railway lines, their maintenance and provision of proper security measures, signalling systems and their operation, issuance of tickets that are essential for the efficient and uninterrupted operation of the aforesaid services.

Meanwhile, the Transport and Civil Aviation Ministry had informed the Railways General Manager to implement the special gazette notification.

The railway workers were on strike from last week demanding the implementation of the Cabinet’s decision which was subsequently approved by the Cabinet on May 18, 2018, to rectify their salary anomalies. (Sheain Fernandopulle)