At the time of writing, over 100 trade unions across the State sector were preparing to go on a two-day strike demanding a Rs 25,000 salary increase. Teacher trade unions too were set to stage a strike today (Tuesday) over the same demand, although it was only recently that they received a substantial pay hike. As State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya correctly stated, the Government was unable to meet such a demand for want of adequate finances, adding that the Government had already granted all possible benefits to state sector employees and wanted them to say how it (Government) could find the money for granting the demand.
Had anyone got an answer, he was willing to discuss such a proposal. It was only the other day that President Ranil Wickremesinghe warned the teachers that he would be forced to take stringent measures if they continue to resort to strikes, observing that teachers should be inside the classrooms and not on the roads. Children’s future could not be allowed to be jeopardized by teacher strikes, he added.
In fact, the Government should consider drastic steps to end what has now become routine trade union action across all sectors, causing immense damage to the economy, not to mention the distress caused to the public. There are 1.4 million public sector employees in the country and, as pointed out by State Minister Siyambalapitiya, it is well-nigh impossible to grant such a demand without making the country go bankrupt.
Teachers, above all el.
