The Government has approved a trade union set up by the LGBT+ community that packs a present membership of some 6,000 persons.
A representative of LGBT members recently met the Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara to sort out matters in forming the union saying it was important in safeguarding their rights provided under the Constitution for every citizen of this country.
The LGBT trade union has been facilitated by the National Union of Seafarers Sri Lanka (NUSS) that has also been tasked by the Minister to seek a slot for the LGTB union in the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) where their issues could be heard at the highest level.
“This, a harassed and ignored community despite being law abiding citizens of this country and this should never be the case’, NUSS President Palitha Atukorale said.
He said other trade unions both State and private have also offered to back the LGBT union and towards this end there will be broader meetings involving several local TUs at the very earliest.
“The most severe problems facing the LGBT community is continuous harassment by the police and in some cases even assault has been reported and this should be brought to an end.
A large number of LGBT persons are also currently employed in the country’s free trade zones and other industrial sectors and their numbers are steadily increasing”, Atukorale said.
