Demand for measly ten rupees, costs 100,000 workers their jobs

Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa presided when Parliament met at 1 pm yesterday. After the presentation of papers and oral questions, the House took up the adjournment motion moved by UPFA MP Shantha Bandara on July 80 workers.

UNP Govt. treated July '80 strikers ruthlessly

Shantha Bandara (UPFA):

The UNP Governments crackdown on the July 1980 strike by public workers, was the most ruthless action by taken by a government in the countrys State sector history. We condemn the way the UNP government handled this situation. It is shocking to recall what the UNP did after coming to power by promising the masses a just society to obtain a 5/6th majority in Parliament. Around 100,000 public sector workers were sacked overnight for agitating for a better salary. The masses were suffering from the ills of open economic policies introduced by the UNP Government at that time. They were only demanding a ten rupee salary increase per day. But the government by imposing emergency laws sacked the strikers declaring that the strikers belonged to the essential services category. As a result, the jobs of 100,000 public servants were lost.

While thirty-eight state employees committed suicide, the families of those who lost their jobs had to face severe difficulties and their childrens education disrupted. It was under Chandrika Kumaratungas Government which came to power in 1994, the then Labour Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa reinstated most of them. Those who were above 65 years of age was provided with a cost of living allowance of Rs. 5,000 per month by the last budget.

Ranjith Zoysa (UPFA): I second the motion. The people of this country have still not forgotten how the J.R. Jayewardene - led UNP Government treated the 1980 July strikers. They were sacked in toto, throwing thousands of poor families into a state of penury.

It was President Mahinda Rajapaksa who was genuinely interested in solving the problem of the July strikers from its inception. As a former Labour Minister under former President Chandrika Bandaranaikes government, President Mahinda Rajapaksa was able to pay their salary arrears and even reinstated most of the July strikers.

Grievances not addressed so far

Joseph Michael Perera (UNP): The July strikers had been cheated by the present Government by hoodwinking them with various promises. Their grievances were not addressed 30 years after they lost their jobs. It is reported that payment of compensation to the July strikers would cost less than Rs.150 million, a triple when compared to the wastage of public money by the government when it came to power in 2005. President Mahinda Rajapaksa promised to solve the July strikers unemployment problems, but nothing has happened so far.

Introduction of open economy resulted in collapse of industries

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Demand for measly ten rupees, costs 100,000 workers their jobs