Postal strike enters day 14 - Unions vow to continue

Postal unions say they will continue with the strike until their demands are met. “We will only stop the strike if our demands are signed off by the Wages Board at least prior to being presented to the cabinet” Convenor of the Joint Postal Trade Union Front, Chinthaka Bandara said. According to him, they will return to work once this occurs. The workers have now been striking for two weeks. 
 
Bandara says the authorities have failed to address their issues and give any favourable solutions regarding the problematic 6/2016 circular issued in 2006 which has resulted in recruitment to the department to come to a standstill along with promotions and salary increments for the staff. Therefore, they are requesting the new proposed scheme of recruitment drafted by the Department and the unions jointly is approved by the cabinet. 
 
 27,000 employees of the Department of Posts have joined the strike and over 600 post offices and 3,000 sub-post offices are still closed.  Despite repeated requests by the Minister and Postmaster General Rohana Abeyratne asking the Unions to return to work, they have refused to do so claiming they have been tricked by false promises since 2006. Currently, a large number of government offices have been affected including the Police and Court system. Pension payments along with distributions of Senior citizens allowances too have stalled. “The whole country is affected and the government must take the responsibility,” Bandara said.