Sri Lankan trade Unions defy May Day rally ban

Defying a government ban on May Day rallies owing to security concerns, the Public Sector Salary Review Trade Unions Committee (PSSRTUC) have said they will go ahead with their planned march in Colombo today, using the occasion to protest against the new salary circular. All main political on Saturday consented to the government request and called of their planned rallies in Colombo and the outstation.

Convenor of the PSSRTUC Saman Ratnapriya said they had no plans to cancel their planned march and rally and would use the May day as a day of protest. He described government�s ban on May Day rallies and processions as an attempt to suppress the working class from safeguarding their rights and taking forward their struggle for better salaries.

He said the PSSRTUC totally opposed the decision to ban the May Day celebrations and described it as a betrayal of past heroes who fought and committed their lives to ensure workers� rights.

Ratnapriya emphasised that no ban could prevent trade unions from celebrating the May Day or their struggle of winning better salaries.
The PSSRTUC earlier expressed its disapproval to the new 6/2006 salary circular and said it was a complete hoax while vowing to take to the streets against it turning May Day into a day of protests.

The union threatened that if by May 25 this circular was not revised or the government did not solve the crisis it would launch a historical strike in the public sector.

Source: South Asia Media NetMore

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