– The recent reports published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and International Labour Organization (ILO), which revealed that Sri Lanka is in slot 120 among 130 nations with poor salaries, had prompted the State and Provincial Development Officers Union to stage a protest on Monday, August 31, 2026.State and Provincial Development Officers Trade Unions Alliance Joint Secretary Dhammika Munasinghe said they will hold protests across the island on August 31.

The main demand of the development officers is a salary hike which is in line with the high fuel cost. He said the increase in fuel prices six times this year had affected the state officers in a big way.“The government has assured in Parliament that a cabinet paper has been prepared to meet our demand. This assurance was given in June this year. However, no paper is presented to the cabinet to that effect even during the month of August,” Munasinghe said.“The government should reveal the cabinet paper without hiding it,” he added.

“The government claims that the salaries of state officers have been increased. Only a nominal increment was given despite the utterance. The IMF and ILO reports reveal the real situation with regard to salaries of state workers,” he also said.Furthermore, Munasinghe was critical of the government’s decision to prohibit the railway workers from uploading social media posts on the department. “What the Secretary Station Masters union said was that train journeys have been dropped by 50 per cent due to repairs. The prohibition is a curtailment of the right of expression by trade union members,” he said.