The collective trade union action of the Colombo Port employees, launched on Wednesday is supported by 23 registered port trade unions.
The trade union collective began a hunger fast on Wednesday demanding that the East Container Terminal of the Colombo Port (ECT) must be operated under the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) and must not be privatised or handed over to foreign or private entities.
According to the trade union collective’s representation, all the registered trade unions including mainstream trade unions representing the JVP, UNP, SLPP and SLFP are supporting the hunger fast until an acceptable feedback is received from the government.
The All Ceylon Port General Workers’ Union (ACPGWU) representative said that Eastern Terminal of the port is going to be privatised or to be operated under a foreign private entity. Only the Eastern Terminal meets the requirements of deep vessels’ handling ability except terminals, which have been privatised earlier during various regimes.
“Moreover this is the only deep vessel managing terminal in the Colombo Port that belongs to the government since all the others have already been privatised. We seek a written assurance from the government that the terminal’s control will lie with the SLPA” he said.
The ACPGWU further said that protestors will not call off their hunger fast until they receive the guarantee in writing.
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