UNP joins July 10 general strike

The UNP yesterday said that it would extend its fullest support to the general strike organised by the JVP affiliated National Trade Union Centre (NTUC).

The UNP’s decision was announced yesterday by Party Spokesperson, Parliamentarian Gayantha Karunathilake at a media briefing.

According to Karunathilake, the UNP was happy to note that the JVP has now decided to launch strong trade union action against the government, even though they failed to help the UNP to topple the government at last year’s budget vote.

“It was the UNP which felt the pulse of the people from the beginning of this regime, but all attempts to topple the government were blocked by the JVP. Anyhow we are happy to note that the same JVP has now decided to launch strikes and agitations to obtain relief for the people and the UNP has decided to give its fullest support to the upcoming one day token strike,” claimed Karunathilake.

However, Karunathilake said that Rs. 5000 salary increase for public, private and estate workers was inadequate and called upon the government to pay a minimum Rs.7,500 salary increase immediately.

“The prices of essential commodities and services have gone up by a huge margin and in that backdrop unless the government gives a Rs.7,500 salary increase the people would not be able to bear the high cost of living (CoL),” added Karunathilake.

Accusing the government of misleading the public servants with an offer of a salary increase of Rs.1, 000, Karunathilake said that the government has only decided to increase the salaries by Rs.625 and not by Rs.1000.

“The government has once again proved that they are poor in calculations by announcing that the public servant’s salary would be increased by Rs.1, 000 from July. But the reality was that President Mahinda Rajapakse after a series of talks with government supported trade unionists have decided to increase the salaries only by Rs.625 and had included the CoL allowance Rs.375 to make a round figure,” claimed Karunathilake.

“If the government is unable to address the grievances of the working class they should immediately dissolve the parliament to allow the people to elect a government that could provide relief to the people,” Karunathilake further added.

The JVP called for a general strike on July 10 based on three demands.

The three demands are the increase of the salaries of public, private and estate sector employees by a minimum of Rs. 5,000, the payment of the promised Rs. 2.50 for each increasing cost of living index point and the reduction in train fares that have increased by over 100%.

According to the NTUC, so far over 400 trade unions representing the public, private and estate sectors have extended their support to the July 10 strike.

JVP parliamentarian and NTUC President, K.D. Lalkantha said the union was compelled to demand for a minimum increase of Rs. 5,000, which is an increase from the Rs. 3,000 demanded during last year’s budget due to the rapid increase in prices of essential goods.

He said that according to statistics a family of five needed at least Rs 31,000 a month to live a normal life.

Lalkantha also said that the government should also implement the pledge made to pay Rs. 2.50 to each increasing cost of living index point, which the government later scrapped by making a payment a flat payment of Rs. 375.

“Although we do not agree with the payment of Rs. 2.50 in principle. We want it paid, as it was a pledge made by the government. This government agreed to pay Rs. 2.50 for an index point when in 1980 the unions called for a payment of Rs. 5 for an index point,” Lalkantha said.

 The NTUC also rejected an offer made by President Mahinda Rajapakse last Sunday to offer an extra allowance of Rs. 1,000 to be added to the salaries of public sector employees claiming it was a move by the government to hood wink the working masses.