Railway trade union spokesman S. Manawadu said last night they had handed over a petition to the minister, listing their grievances, including salary anomalies and delays in promotions, but little or no action had been taken to address them.

He said the 15 independent railway trade unions in the Union for the Protection of Workers’ Rights and Railway Property (UPWRRP) would join the strike. A Railway Control Room official said last night that train services were unlikely to be disrupted as most of the striking workers were maintenance workers.

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Unions to derail railways today

Daily Mirror: August 26, 2007
By Sandun A. Jayasekera

Rail services are expected to be partly crippled as a section of the Railway employees of the Organization for Protection of Properties and Rights of Railway Employees (OPPRRE) launch a one day token strike on their six demands today.

OPPRRE convener Sumathipala Manawadu told the Daily Mirror yesterday that he expects a major disruption of the service as nearly 10,000 employees representing eight trade unions would strike work today.

However, GMR Lalithasiri Gunaruwan expressed confidence that the rail services would not be crippled as the majority of the 17,000 strong work force would be turning up for duty as usual.

“The token strike would be a flop today as only less than ten trade unions are to take part,” he added.

The strikers are demanding an end to rail delays, removal of salary anomalies created by the 2006/06 Ministry circular, resumption of distress loan payments, confirmation of the 2642 contract, casual and substitute employees in their posts, promotions to employees who are entitled to and have been denied for 15 years and the filling of 5,333 existing vacancies in the railway service.

“We are expecting a collapse of the railway service today as OPPRRE and eight other affiliated trade unions are launching the strike.

However, we are waiting for an invitation from Transport Minister Dulles Alahapperuma for a discussion as early as possible to sort out our problems,” Mr. Manawadu said.

Addressing the media on Friday, Transport Minister Dulles Alahapperuma said he has endeavored to bring some discipline and efficiency to the service ever since he assumed duties as Transport Minister.

“I accept that many of the demands are fair. But the problem is, the Railways Department is heavily burdened with financial constraints as it earns only Rs. 2.5 billion a year while the expenditure runs to some Rs. 7.5 billion. We owe a fuel bill of Rs. 1.5 million to the CPC alone,” he said.

With the largest budgetary allocation in the history of the Railways pledged by the Treasury for 2008, the Ministry would be in a position to meet the majority of the demands sooner than later, Minister Allahapperuma assured.