Railway strike called off

Train services back to normal from today

Solution to the issues of Locomotive Drivers sought from PSC – Minister

The Sri Lanka Railways Locomotive Operating Engineer’s Union yesterday night decided to call off their trade union action following discussions with the Sri Lanka Railway General Manager and Transport Ministry officials.

Sri Lanka Railway General Manager W.A.D.S. Gunasinghe, when contacted by the Daily News yesterday night said that the Locomotive Operating Engineers Union informed him verbally that they would call off their trade union action from midnight yesterday. Gunasinghe said that Sri Lanka Railways will submit proposals aimed at providing solution to this issue to the Cabinet subcommittee on Public Expenditure. He said that this issue started in 2005 and Cabinet papers have been submitted time to time to solve this issue which is connected to the entire public service.

Meanwhile, Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana said that efforts are being made to solve this problem after submitting all possible recommendations to the Public Services Commission within a period of two weeks.

The Minister was speaking to the media after attending a meeting of the Cabinet Subcommittee on Public Expenditure, headed by the Prime Minister.

“The meeting of the Cabinet Subcommittee on Public Expenditure was held yesterday under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister. The General Manager of Railways and other high officials were also called for that. According to that, this is a task that cannot be done by the minister or the Cabinet within their jurisdiction, and for that, the Public Service Commission should get involved.

He added that politicians cannot work in violation of the provisions of the Constitution and the law of the country.The Minister stressed that the power of the Public Services Commission cannot be altered by a Cabinet subcommittee.

“When working as a government, it is not possible to act like village bullies. “These decisions were taken by a Cabinet subcommittee comprising Prime Minister, Cabinet Secretary and the officials”, he said.

Even after assigning the task to the PSC for a necessary solution, if the employees involved in the strike do not act according to the essential services regulations, the relevant law will be applicable, the minister added.“As the minister in charge of the subject, I have presented the necessary facts to do all that can be done. For that, there is no possibility of doing anything by force except according to the existing law of the country.“The opinion of the people should also be sought about what should be done as a country in such a situation. Majority of the employees, including the drivers in the trade unions, who work fairly, are continuously engaged in their duties. More than 18,000 people including station masters, controllers and other workers are performing their duties diligently on behalf of the people.