What happens when two parties push the same object in different directions at the same time? The object will stay at the same place without moving anywhere when the two parties use the same level of energy. The other thing that can happen is the object moving towards the party which puts in more energy. What we witness here in Sri Lanka today is similar. While the President and the Government push the country forward with great difficulties, the Trade Unions pull the country back with almost the same force.
According to media reports, there is a work-to-rule campaign going on at the Port led by the Sri Lanka Customs officers. As a result, over 600 imported containers are blocked without clearance. Some other media reports said Health Trade Unions will launch a strike today (19th March) demanding doctors’ DAT allowances. Private sector workers rarely, if ever, launch strikes. It is public servants who always launch strikes and make innocent people suffer.
No matter who becomes the leader of this country, the country is made to walk backwards due to the actions of public servants. They think that they are some sort of `rare species’ of the country facing extinction and they deserve the best of everything from duty free car permits to the best schools for their children. This mentality of public servants makes innocent people suffer all the time.
But the bitter truth is that private sector workers push the country forward while most public servants drag the country backwards. This was proved with all relevant statistics by an eminent academic and economist some time ago during a television interview.
No previous Government ruled the country during the last 75 years without facing at least one major act of sabotage by Trade Unions. Sri Lanka is the only country in the world which bows down in front of any trade union that makes any unreasonable demand. This is one major factor which immensely contributed to the 2022 financial crisis. All previous Governments and people gave into strikes without upholding the right of the people not to be harassed by such Trade Unions. Nothing was done in such instances to provide relief, until this Government deployed the Armed Forces to fill in the breach created by striking workers, especially in the health sector.
While President Ranil Wickremesinghe and his Government pushed the country forward in the middle of various difficulties, all the Trade Unions have pushed the country backward. Almost all Trade Unions make very unrealistic demands and they make trouble for the people. All previous governments had to face these machinations of Trade Unions.
Trade unionists are only thinking about themselves and the political parties they are affiliated to. They never think or act on behalf of ordinary people of this country. They receive their salaries at the end of month no matter whether they do their official duties or not. Some Trade Union leaders are even released full time for TU work and they do not have to do any official duties per se.
The operation of all Trade Unions in the state sector needs to be minimized and there should be a crystal clear set of guidelines for all Trade Unions which are allowed to function. Heads of Trade Unions should not be released from their official duties, as explained above. For example, heads of teachers’ Trade Unions do not need to go to school and teach. But they receive the full salary and all the other benefits at the end of the month as usual.
When a certain service is named as an `Essential Service’ (ES) through an Extraordinary Gazette, the relevant rules and regulations need to be implemented without leaving any loopholes for the employees to escape. Action needs to be taken against all employees who violate the relevant rules and regulations. Recently, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara suspended the services of 15 Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) workers who kept away from their counters ignoring ES orders.
Other Ministers and Government agencies should follow this example. In fact, there had been no strikes at the CEB following this decisive action. Although President J.R. Jayewardene was heavily criticised for sacking the July 1980 strikers, the Free Trade Zones (FTZs) would have been a non-starter if he did not take that drastic measure, which instilled confidence in foreign investors. Even the so-called champions of democracy in the developed world have harsh penalties in store for those who strike at the drop of a hat.
It is the duty of the public of this country to act against strikers. The only thing they should not do is take the law into their hands. Except this, they can do anything they want to `reply’ to strikers at all State institutions. Enough is enough and it is high time the Sri Lankan people unite against those who make them suffer again and again. There should be an end to this suffering. Maybe it is the time for various NGOs and other civil organizations scattered islandwide to commence an `Aragalaya’ against the Trade Unionists, which will have wide support from a harried public.
