Conditions laid down to cancel July 10th strike

Chairman of the National Trade Union Centre (NTUC), K.D. Lal Kantha says that their demands should be fulfilled in order to cancel the island-wide strike campaign scheduled for July 10th.

Addressing the third National Convention of the NTUC at the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo, he said that the conditions include the postponement of the North Central and Sabaragamuwa PC polls till their due date of termination.

In addition he has requested that the 109-member cabinet to be reduced to 30.

Further, the huge number of presidential advisors, who draw salaries up to Rs. 60,000, should be brought down to 30 as well as their attachment to government ministries, he added.

Also, the 17th Amendment must be implemented immediately, he said.

"Unlike the protest during the J.R. Jayewardene era, electricity supply and bus services will come to a complete halt on July 10th. If attempts are made to obstruct this action, we will decide to continue this strike," the JVP parliamentarian said.

"This is only a token strike. If the demands are not met, we will move on to the next step," he added.

"To stop the strike campaign, the government only has to increase public servant's salaries by Rs. 5,000 and to agree to the reductions. There is no other way, he said.

Issuing a warning to Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the trade union leader said, "You are from America. The country was brought to this state by citizens of this country. We formed the UPFA with people like Mangala and Sripathi. Even Mahinda Rajapaksa backed off. Be warned of what we will do if our strike is suppressed."

In addition to the strike campaign held with the collaboration of trade unions in the public and private sectors, the Joint Trade Union Federation is to hold a protest march in Colombo.

General Secretary of the Trade Union Consolidation, Saman Rathnapriya told a media briefing that the protest demonstration would start from in front of the Health Ministry at noon on July 10th