During the historic Peloponnesian War, Greece’s women engaged in a unique form of protest. The women withheld sexual relations with their husbands until the men were forced to halt the war and engage in peace talks. In 2003 a similar strike was launched in Liberia. Ellen Johnson, the woman who led the movement later went on to become the President of Liberia.
In 1980, just days before the Parliamentary elections, a strike organised by the pilots of Singapore Airlines (SIA, Call Sign SQ) had continued for a month. Addressing the issue at a rally, the then Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew had this to say.
“I met the pilots. Not through the television. I met them face to face. They sat on one side of the table and I on the other. We were five feet apart. I could see them and they met me. They were able to witness me who I was with their own eyes.
“I can tell you that when I met the SIA pilots, I did not meet them on TV, I met them face-to-face. Five feet across the table so they can see me, and see whether I’m still vigorous, able to campaign and take them on. Whether it is worth taking me on.
And I offered them two choices. Either you stop this intimidation, which is what it was, bringing SIA right down. I told them they were disrupting services and ruining its reputation as one of the best emerging airlines of the world. Millions of dollars worth of advertisements and sales ruined within a matter of two weeks.
I gave them a choice. Continue this and I will by every means at my disposal teach you and get the people of Singapore to help me teach you a lesson you won’t forget.
And I’m prepared to start all over again or stop it! Get back to work, restore discipline, then argue your case. It took them 65 minutes and they decided it was not worth the fight. Why? Because they know they will lose. They know that I am prepared to ground the airline for some time. They also know that I can get the airline going again without them.
Iron grip
And let there be no mistakes about it. Whoever governs Singapore must have that iron grip in him or her. Or give it up. This is not a game of cards. This is your life and mine. I spent a whole lifetime building this. And as long as I am in charge, nobody’s going to knock it down.”
And with that, the matter was resolved. While it cannot be said his method to resolve protests was fair, it was this kind of rule that led to the developed Singapore we see today. The path to struggles, strikes and protests did not come to workers easily. Tears, sweat were shed and even lives were laid down for the purpose leading to Trade Unions being accepted in the 20th century.
Sri Lanka too has seen its share of protests, strikes and hartal movements over the years. Its trade union history dates back to the 1800s while still being ruled under the British.
The first strike in Sri Lanka was launched against British owned publishing company H.W Kew and Company by its workers for the delay in paying wages all the way back in 1893.
The most significant of its kind was the 1953 Hartal led by the Leftist unions of Phillip Gunawardene, Robert Gunawardene, Dr. N.M Perera, Dr. Colvin R. Silva, Vivian Gunawadene, Pieter Keuneman and Bernard Soysa.
However, as time went by strikes were used as a means to further one’s political agendas. As an example the July 1980 strike ended in failure, resulting in 300,000 workers losing their jobs and putting their families in a difficult situation. While it was the largest strike in the country’s history, it merely ended in a tragedy of vast proportions.
The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna’s (JVP) second insurrection intensified between 1988 and 1989. It began with a protest near the Colombo Fort Bodhi on July 28, 1987, following several acts of firearm theft from military camps by the JVP and the arrest of 88 university students by the Government on June 22, 1987. This period resulted in significant damage to public property and the loss of at least 60,000 lives.
Consistently
The JVP has consistently opposed development initiatives and attempted to sabotage any progressive changes in the country. They have not only blocked these efforts but have also frequently mobilised people to take to the streets to advance their agenda as seen in their campaign against the Voice of America (VOA) station being set up in Iranawila. Similar protests were launched before the establishment of the Norochcholai Power Plant, the Mahaweli Development Project, and many other initiatives. Despite the opposition, these projects have proven to be beneficial to the people of Sri Lanka.
Reports indicate that Sri Lanka has lost approximately 104,327 human days due to strikes. Society has reached a point where strikes are called for the most trivial reasons. While the right to strike is a fundamental right, it is unfortunate that today many trade unions controlled by certain political parties and entities have exceeded their ethical boundaries.
Trade union strikes have become politicised and turned into power struggles, with strikes often called on a whim. Nowadays, it is rare to find a day without protests. Sudden protests disrupt the public, and some strikes are called without any warning, causing significant inconvenience to the people. In recent times, certain unions, like those in the health sector, have behaved almost like terrorists. Even professionals’ trade unions have behaved unethically. There are many innovative ways to protest, as demonstrated around the world.
In Okayama, Japan once bus drivers launched a strike by giving free rides to members of the public while all operations ran smoothly.
In strikes and professional struggles, it is crucial to convince people that these actions are just. Without this conviction, such strikes are doomed to fail. Anyone who remembers the country’s dire State two years ago cannot support these harmful strikes, which only highlight the depth of corrupt and opportunistic politics.
