Lanka Truth July, 04 2008. 01.20 PM

If the government doesn't take necessary measures regarding the one day token strike carried out to demand an increase of Rs.5000/- for state and private sector employees, a continuous general strike would be launched with the support of all other trade unions says President of All Ceylon Trade Union Federation (ACTUF) Lal Kanthe.  

Mr. Lal kanthe said this addressing the 5th National Convention of the ACTUF held at Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium yesterday (3rd).

Speaking further Mr. Lal Kanthe said, "The salary received by more than 6.5 million working people in this country is not sufficient for their existence.  That's why we have demanded an increase of Rs.5000/- to their salaries.

During the strike in July, 1980 the President J.R. Jayawardene said "buses are running; there is electricity; hence, the strike is a failure." We, as the National Trade Union Centre and All Ceylon Trade Union Federation would like to say that there won't be buses running on the roads and there won't be electricity. However, there isn't any necessity for anyone to be excited.  We have not launched this strike to topple the government. If there was a need to topple the government we would go for a general strike instead of the token strike on the 10th. The strike on the 10th is only a token strike. We would keep away from work for eight hours on the 10th. However, we would like to say that if there isn't any satisfactory response from the government on the 10th, we would, on the same day, decide whether we would call a general strike.

President Mahinda Rajapakse and others are scared because they know that the end of the government, that is immersed in fraud, corruption and waste, would begin with the strike on the 10th.  That's why they are scared.

However, we would like to say, with responsibility, that we would carry out the strike on the 10th without hindering the functions of the Security Forces. Specially, the doctors should be present in their hospitals on that day. We would make arrangements for such essential duties even during the time the strike is being carried out.

Some people say the strike should not be launched at this time. What's this time? We endured for two and a half years saying it was not the time. It is we who sent Ranil Wickremasinghe home and brought Mahinda Rajapakse to power.

This is the best time. The people in this country including the working people are making vast sacrifices. The war is going on. It is true. We talked with Prabakaran in various ways. But Prabakaran couldn't understand our language. So we have to talk to him now in the language he understands. Similarly, we talked in several ways with the President regarding issues of the working people. He couldn't understand our language. Now we are going to talk to him on the 10th in the language he understands.  We would like to say something more. If the salary increase of Rs.5000/- cannot be given because of the expenses for the war we would like to give up the strike under certain conditions. We are prepared to stop the strike if these conditions are fulfilled before the 10th.

1.       The cabinet which has 110 members now should be reduced to 30. It doesn't incur any expenses. Instead it would save the government billions of rupees.

2.       Hold North Central and Sabaragamuwa PC elections that were due in one and half years at the correct time. Hence, the elections to these provinces that have been announced should be postponed. The cost that the Office of the Election Commissioner's department would incur for these two elections would be Rs.40 billion.

3.       The colossal number of presidential advisors should be brought down to 30.

4.       Implement 17th amendment to the Constitution. These don't cost any money. We would like to ask why the ministers can't make sacrifices that the people in the country are making.