Govt ready for showdown

Shirley Wijesinghe

*CPC workers turn up for duty

*SLPA employees accept salary increase proposal

The Government is ready to face any challenge in the event of a future general strike, so that the public would not be made to suffer inconvenience or the impact of a breakdown in any essential service whatever it may be, Petroleum and Petroleum Resources Development Minister A.H.M. Fowzie told the Daily News yesterday.

“The majority of employees are with us, and we are certain that they would not sabotage or disrupt any of the essential services,” he noted.

Fowzie added that all employees of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, declared an essential service, reported to work as usual.

“We will distribute fuel without any disruption and leave no room for creating a fuel scarcity in filling stations throughout the country,” the Minister said.

The proposed work-to-rule campaign by some opposition-backed TUs launched during last week was an utter failure as a majority of employees were with the Government and reported for work, he said.

Meanwhile, Ceylon Electricity Board Chairman E.A.S.K. Edirisinghe said the CEB was able to keep the customer service as usual even amidst opposition backed trade unions trying to stage a work-to-rule campaign last week.

Sri Lanka Port Authority Chairman Dr Priath Bandu Wickrama said SLPA employees have accepted the SLPA proposal to increase their salary by Rs 3,000 adding Rs 1,000 to their basic salary and Rs 2,000 as an allowance.

The Government Sunday declared the services of the Water Supply and Drainage Board, Ceylon Electricity Board, Sri Lanka Port Authority, and Ceylon Petroleum Corporation as essential services.