Making strikes count

Wednesday, 22 May 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Another day, another strike, and life rolls along under cloudy skies. For Sri Lankans used to the inflated rhetoric of both the Government and the Opposition, Tuesday’s strike, which was billed by some as capable of crippling the country, was another example of public dissatisfaction falling on deaf ears. Yet it was also an example of how trade unions, if they are sincere, can break the apathy of the common man’s lot.

Usually the strikes that take place in Sri Lanka are over salary hikes and cost of living and the latest one was no different. While this is necessary, there is little action taken to address mismanagement, corruption and wastage within the workplace. The more enthusiastic trade union action has a salary-centric basis that is understandable, given that it is an issue very close to the heart of all workers. But can trade unions serve a greater purpose?

For example, the unions could have kept a tab on practices that resulted in a Rs. 60 billion loss within the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) in 2012 and necessitated a price increase. Not only would this have stopped the rot, it would also have formulated informed dissent in Sri Lanka, which is a glaring void at the moment. It would, one can argue, result in a far more effective method of interacting with the Government and better policing of public expenditure, not to mention promoting transparency and financial accountability. While such a process would undoubtedly be unwelcomed by the Government and possibly delay policy implementation, it would benefit the public far more.

Often strikes boil down to a stalemate of sorts between the Government and the trade unions, which seem unbreakable because the Government refuses to be seen as “giving in” to the workers or vice versa. In this traditional scenario the people end up the losers because no sustainable solutions are provided for their grievances and they are forced to be spectators of a drama, ostensibly played out for their benefit.

Even though the strike has now been called off, there is an important lesson to be gleaned from this – that trade unions can work for the good of Sri Lanka. If they are more vigilant about mismanagement and corruption within the organisations that they operate in and help to stamp it out, the service done for the country would be immense.

Take for example the fact that the 2011 Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) report details losses exceeding a staggering Rs. 19 billion from public institutions. If trade unions work towards reducing this loss, not only can they stamp out corruption but they can also ensure that the saved funds are used to raise the standard of life among workers and the public in general.

A more concise dispute-resolving mechanism is also needed to deal with the interactions between the government and the trade unions. Disintegration of the relationship between the trade unions and the Government means that the former are tagged merely as ‘troublemakers,’ when the truth of the matter is that they can constructively intervene to deal with a host of issues relating not only to their own members but also the rest of society.

Enlarging the vision of trade unions and making them a responsible part of the development process is an initiative that needs to be taken.