CEB employees demand wage hike; threaten to strike

Colombo: Trade unions affiliated to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) have threatened to launch a half day strike on 7 September if the authorities fail to pay their due salary increments.

Executive member of CEB’s Joint Trade Union Alliance, Ranjan Jayalal told a press conference that the strike would commence at 12 noon on 7 September.

Jayalal said the last wage hike granted to the CEB workers was in 2006 and that they had been promised a 22% salary increase in 2009.

However the increment promised in 2009 was never given, he said.

He added that none of the monies allocated to the CEB through the annual budget was being spent on the welfare of the employees.

Jayalal observed that a strike was the only way for the workers to win their demands although such an action would cause difficulties to consumers. (Lankapage.com)