50 lankan workers return home

More than 50 Sri Lankan garment factory employees in Jordan have returned home after some suffered abuse and others were unsatisfied with wage increments the Foreign Employment Bureau (FEB) said today.

FEB Chairman, Kingsley Ranawaka said the strike was called off after two officials from the FEB and the Foreign Employment Ministry visited Jordan to intervene in the matter by ensuring the workers a salary hike.

Ranawaka said however that some expatriate workers had returned as they were not happy with the salary increments while some others were afraid to remain in Jordan due to the intense situation among local garment factory employees in Jordan.

23 Sri Lankan factory workers were tied and gagged last week by another group of Sri Lankan expatriate workers who were on strike to prevent them from going to work. Ranawaka said some of the workers remained in Jordan while the others returned home.

He said the FEB may not take any action immediately. There are 10,000 garment factory employees in Jordan, said Ranawaka. More than 1,500 Sri Lankan employees in five garment factories in Jordan launched a massive strike demanding for wages. (Olindhi Jayasundere)