Immigration officers renew warning of trade union action

• Claim not convinced with steps taken so far
• Charge PM appointed 5-member committee is one-sided, no access to final recommendations
• Start awareness campaign at BIA displaying posters, handing over leaflets to passengers on direct consequences

By Charumini de Silva 

The Sri Lanka Immigration and Emigration Officers’ Association (SLIEOA) yesterday said they would take stern union action, claiming that they were not convinced over the steps taken by the authorities to resolve their problems. 

The association pointed out that despite providing sufficient time for the Government to resolve issues in the Immigration Service and make it more effective, the authorities had indicated “similar promises” without delivery.

“The Minster assured to give solutions by 30 December and requested two weeks when we initially launched the trade union action, thereafter on his request the Prime Minister appointed a five-member committee to resolve matters pertaining in the Immigration Service, but there is no light so far. It seems that the authorities are repeating the same process as they have done in the last 20 years,” SLIEOA President Aruna Kanugala said.

Although Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed a five-member committee early this month, the association charged that it was one-sided as there was no representation from SLIEOA. 

“Despite having no representation from SLIEOA in the committee, we still supported the process and detailed our issues. Now that two weeks are over, we have no access to the final recommendations of the committee. With the uncertainty and slow progress of the resolutions, we are now determined to further strengthen our union action until the authorities heed to our demands,” he added.

SLIEOA said it had now started an awareness campaign by displaying posters at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) Immigration and Emigration counters, distributing leaflets among passengers on the services Immigration officers provide, and the direct consequences they have to undergo if they stop their duty. 

The strict union action campaign was commenced in December last year based on three demands of the association: To establish and make effective the service minute of Sri Lanka Immigration and Emigration Service; attach Immigration officers to foreign missions; and re-establish the Departmental Prosecution Unit.

He said the Immigration officers, who are engaged in a premier State defence service, are performing a vital job in formalising and managing departures and arrivals, while directly contributing to earn billions to net foreign income annually. 

“Unlike other Government services, the Immigration officers are not entitled to vacations on public holidays and have restless working sessions comprising 16- to 24-hour shifts at airports and harbours without being paid any overtime payment or other additional payments,” he pointed out.

It was noted that the majority of the officers who join the department had no career promotions until their retirement, yet successive governments were recruiting more officers without providing solutions to their grievances.  

According to him, out of the 394 total positions in the department, there are only 10 vacancies that could provide promotions, while two positions have not been filled since 2009.