Several trade unions to launch islandwide strike tomorrow

Trade unions of several sectors are scheduled to launch a joint strike action across the island tomorrow (01 March), against the recently introduced tax policy.

Accordingly, unions of the power, water, petroleum, ports and banking sectors, amongst others, are scheduled to stage an islandwide strike tomorrow.
 

However, trade unions belonging to the medical, railway, teaching and postal sectors have clarified that while they too, will protest against the newly imposed tax scheme, they will not join the strike action.

Meanwhile, President Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday (27 Feb.) signed a Gazette notification declaring several services related to ports, airports and passenger transport services as essential services.

The relevant Gazette declared public transport services for passengers or goods, discharge, carriage, landing, storage, delivery and removal of articles of food or drink, or coal, oil, fuel from vessels within any port as defined for the purposes of the Customs Ordinance (Chapter 235), the provision and maintenance of facilities for transport services by road, rail or air, including roads, bridges, culverts, airports, ports and railway lines, as essential services with immediate effect.