Trade unions demand Rs.5,000 allowance to be extended to private sector

• Meet Labour Minister to discuss their requests
• Request Labour minister to use legislative measures if employers oppose 
• Labour Minister to communicate trade union demands to Cabinet 
• Labour Minister’s meeting with Employers’ Federation scheduled for next week

The key trade unions representing the private sector employees have requested Labour Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva to extend the Rs.5,000 allowance announced for the public sector last week to the private sector employees as well, through legislative measures.

In a discussion held yesterday between De Silva and other key Labour Ministry officials, the representatives of several key labour unions made this request to the minister, in case if all private sector employers fail to come together to extend the Rs.5,000 allowance.

The Labour Ministry is currently exploring the possibility of extending the Rs.5,000 allowance to the private sector employees, following the Cabinet decision to grant a Rs.5,000 allowance to state employees as well as an increase in pensions by Rs.5,000.

While expressing his appreciation to the minister for taking swift measures aimed at extending the Rs.5000 to the private sector employees, Sri Lanka Nidahas Seveka Sangamaya General Secretary Leslie Devendra urged the ministry to focus on maintaining cordial relationship among the employers, employees and ministry, when implementing 
this proposal. 

Therefore, he proposed the government to extend the proposed allowance to the private sector employees by a way of an Act of Parliament, if the employers oppose the move. 

 Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union Joint Secretary Anton Marcus stressed that the employers must support this proposal in particular, considering the solidarity demonstrated by their employees during the pandemic.

The representative from Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya noted that it would be unfair for the private sector employees, if this allowance is only limited to the public sector employees, as the country’s entire workforce is facing economic hardships. 

Meanwhile, the representatives from the Lanka Jathika Estate Workers’ Union requested the proposed allowance to be extended to the plantation workers by adding it to their daily wages.  Responding to the requests, the minister said that the requests of the labour unions would be submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers shortly. Sharing his personal views, he emphasised that the Rs.5000 allowance should be extended to the private sector employees, as majority of the labour force is employed in the private sector.

De Silva is also scheduled to meet the officials of Employers’ Federation of Ceylon and top officials of the plantations companies next week.