| Paralyzing Strike |
By Umesh Moramudali and Kasun Ganewatte-2013-07-09
Thousands of commuters were stranded yesterday as the trade unions of Sri Lanka Railways (SLR) launched a countrywide strike, which is expected to continue till midnight tonight. The Fort Railway Station was deserted, and was inhabited only by several sleepy, stray dogs, and a handful of stranded passengers who stood at closed counters, looking bewildered. Only 11 trains had operated from the Fort Railway Station yesterday, in comparison to nearly 325 trains that operate from the country's main station on other days.
The ticket counters at railway stations were also closed, and commuters travelled free in the few trains that operated.
Buses were packed with passengers and many people were late to reach their destination.
Students and State and private sector employees who commute to schools and offices in Colombo, had to face many inconveniences as a result of the railway strike.
Meanwhile, the Secretary to the President, Lalith Weeratunga, had requested railway employees to call off the strike and come for negotiations, but railway employees refused to accede, and announced they would continue with the strike till midnight today.
Speaking to Ceylon Today, Convener of the Joint Trade Union Alliance (JTUA) of Railway Employees, Janaka Fernando said, "The President's Secretary made a request that we call off the strike and come for discussions, but the railway employees were not willing to do that. The discussion was to be held at the Presidentaial Secretariat at 2:30 p.m. We were not ready to call off the strike and engage in discussions. However, if the Salaries and Cadres Commission announces a salary level increment for railway employees, we are ready to call off the strike immediately."
He added, their demand is for an increase in salary levels up to the Railway Management Staff (RMS 1 and 2).
He went on to say the JTUA will not hesitate to engage in strike action again, if the relevant authorities do not take necessary measures to increase their salaries. More than 3,000 railway employees including station masters, railway guards, signal controllers and many other officials had engaged in the trade union action.
Meanwhile, the Superintendent of Operations, Sri Lanka Railways, L.A.R. Ratnayake said, only 11 trains had operated yesterday, of which nine were deployed in the morning and two were deployed in the evening. The destinations covered were Fort to Chilaw, Polgahawela, Gampaha, Panadura, Rambukkana and Aluthgama.
"Approximately 325 train services are run daily," he added.
He also pointed out, the SLR had approved the salary level increment requested by the employees and it was the Salaries and Cadres Commission that has to give its stamp of approval to the salary increase.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) had taken steps to deploy additional bus services from Colombo to cities in other parts of the country, in a bid to assist commuters who would otherwise face untold difficulties.
Vice Chairman of SLTB, L.A. Wimalaratne, told Ceylon Today that additional bus services are being run from the Central Bus Stand, covering journeys from Colombo to Galle, Matara, Vavuniya, Badulla and few other outstation cities.
"More than 100 additional buses have been deployed for the benefit of commuters. Bus services will be available from outstation cities to enable commuters to reach Colombo without having to undergo undue inconveniences," he added.
