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Railways & buses to strike

Railways & buses to strike
It has been decided to hold an island-wide private bus strike and a railway workers strike from December 1 midnight.

Railway Trade Union Alliance Convener Janaka Fernando yesterday said that 50 unions of the Sri Lanka Railways will get together for a 24-hour token strike aimed at wining several demands of the railway workers.

The strike will be staged against the government’s proposals of abolishing the pension scheme of railway workers , taking over of railway lands to be handerd over to the private sector, improper recruitments and plans to convert the railway department to an authority. He said if the demands were not fully addressed, the unions would go on strike.

Meanwhile,The Inter Provincial Private Bus Association (IPPBA) president Sarath Vijitha Kumara said a five-day private bus strike will be launched over proposed fine Rs.25,000 for seven selected traffic offenses.

He said increasing the minimum fine was not reasonable. It could only be applicable after providing proper infrastructures. Traffic Police personnel are not 100 percent law abiding to impose such penalties and finally the money will be in the hands of the Traffic Police.

Along with the inter provincial long distances private buses, the provincial level private buses, operators of the school vans, three wheelers,Lorries, bowser and containers will also take part in the strike.

In addition, there will be a three-wheeler protest possession from Nelum Pokuna to the Presidential Secretariat on December 2 at 10 a.m. against the proposed increase in the minimum penalty of Rs.25,000 for traffic offenses.

“We also invite all the three-wheeler operators and motor cyclists to join this protest,the United National Three Wheeler Drivers and Industry Workers Union president K.D.Alwis said yesterday.

“We are not against the imposition of higher fines for drunk driving and driving without licenses. However,we are against the imposition of higher fines on high speed driving and overtaking on the left.

The Police will impose a Rs.25000 fine for three wheelers overtaking on the left and Rs.1,000 for the overtaking on the right. So how can be go on the road like this.Even the trackers have been given same speed limit of 40 kmph like three wheelers.

Therefore, We urge the President to intervene in this matter without causing any inconveniences to the public.