Trade Unions (TU) have demanded a public consultation regarding the proposed amendment to the nation’s labour law.
A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting in Colombo of trade unions who are represented in the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) and those who were removed from that body by the labour minister.
The trade unions will also be seeking from the labour minister Manusha Nanayakara the draft amendment bill be made public after being submitted to the NLAC.
Yet another demand has been placed by the TU representatives who represent the workers and removed by the NLAC that an independent and transparent commission should be established to seek the opinion and views of the public.
TUs resolved to leave aside differences and unite to defeat the government policies which lead to the destruction of the working class.
Anton Marcus - Joint secretary of the Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union (FTZGSEU) was unanimously nominated as the convenor.
The labour minister had taken steps to remove four unions from the NLAC, which is a tripartite body to ensure industrial harmony. The government, bosses and TUs comprise the NLAC.
Unions that have allegedly not maintained proper records of the annual meetings, branch association meetings and those who don’t have at least a thousand workers as members were removed, according to the labour ministry.
The Free Trade Zone and General Workers Union (FTZGSWU), Commercial, Industrial and General workers Union, Sri Lanka Plantation Services Union and United Labour Federation were removed from the NLAC on the directive of the labour minister.
The FTZGSWU, while appealing against the government move in the court of appeal has included the labour minister as a respondent in their petition. They are seeking to repeal the order of the minister.
