Trade unions of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) will launch a six-hour token strike today (26 February) from 12:00 noon to 6:00 p.m., marking a dramatic escalation in their confrontation with the government over what they describe as an attempt to dissolve and unlawfully restructure the country’s power utility.
Union leaders said the strike was inevitable after authorities failed to respond to their eight core demands and amid mounting reports that a Gazette notification to liquidate the CEB is imminent.
The dispute has been simmering for weeks. Earlier, the unions cautioned the government that they would resort to trade union action immediately after the conclusion of the GCE Ordinary Level examinations if satisfactory solutions were not forthcoming.
They insisted that they deliberately delayed action in consideration of students sitting the national examination, but warned that their patience should not be mistaken for weakness.
At the heart of the crisis is the proposed restructuring of the CEB, which unions allege is being pushed through without transparency, stakeholder consultation, or a clear national energy policy framework. They argue that the move amounts to a backdoor dissolution of the Board under the guise of reform.
“If a wrong and unlawful decision is taken to restructure or dissolve the CEB without listening to our demands, we will be compelled to act within 48 hours — even unwillingly,” union representatives warned earlier this week.
The unions further charged that employee rights, job security, and national energy sovereignty are being jeopardized. They contend that restructuring without first establishing a coherent and publicly debated energy policy could destabilize the country’s electricity supply and open the door to arbitrary decision-making.
Tensions escalated further after employees, who applied for the CEB’s Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS), claimed that the CEB Chairman had indicated a Gazette notification announcing the dissolution of the Board would be issued on February 28. Union leaders described this as a “serious and irreversible step” that could fundamentally alter the structure of Sri Lanka’s power sector.
While today’s action is limited to six hours, trade union leaders made it clear that this is only the beginning. They warned that if the government proceeds with gazetting the dissolution or continues to ignore their demands, stronger and more prolonged industrial action would follow without further notice.
With the strike now underway, the standoff has entered a decisive phase, raising serious concerns over the stability of the national grid and the future direction of Sri Lanka’s energy sector.
By Ifham Nizam
from The Island https://ift.tt/IRUwv0e
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