The employees of the Pulmodai mineral sands factory have embarked on a strike against a decision to privatise the factory. The employees feared, the factory which belongs to the Ceylon Mineral Sands Corporation, was to be handed over to a foreign investor, sources said.

The workers had resorted to this trade union action as they feared the officials of the factory were in the process of entering into an agreement with a foreign investor.

The strike had received the support of all the other unions of the corporation.
The Secretary to the Ministry of State Resources and Enterprises Dr. Willy Gamage and working Director D. W. Gunasekara, visited the factory and assured the workers that there was no plan yet to privatise the corporation.

However despite the assurance,  the workers are continuing with their trade union action, and the production of Ilmanite, Rootile, Sarkone have come to a complete standstill. ( Amadoru Amarajeewa reporting from Pulmudai)