The Milco Company said today that it had lost over Rs. 300 million in sales due to the strike launched by a trade union of the Milco Company on December 9.

 

Milco chairman Sunil Wickramasinghe said production in the Digana and Narahenpita factories had come to a complete standstill while the Polonnaruwa and Ambewela factories were functioning as usual.
 

“We have lost Rs. 300 in sales due to this strike. Digana and Narahenpita factories where mainly yoghurt and ice-cream are manufactured have been completely stalled. 250, 000 yoghurt cups and 200,000 liters of ice-cream are usually manufactured in these factories a day but now the production is completely stalled. But we have managed to produce milk powder in the Ambewela and Polonnaruwa factories,” Mr. Wickramasinghe said.
 

Mr. Wickramasinghe said the Milco management had informed the workers on the instruction of the Labour department that they must call off the strike and report for duty failing which they would be considered as having vacated their post or legal action taken against them.
 

“The Labour Department has instructed the strikers to report for duty by calling off the strike  and the management has also been instructed to stop any transfers of promotions during this period,” he said.
 

Mr. Wickramasinghe also said that the Minstry of Livestock Development was going to take strict action against the strikers who damaged the machines worth more than Rs. 300 million rupees.(Ajith Siriwardane)