Trade union action: Postal strike bleeds millions daily
17 of 19 demands approved
Rs. 25–30 million daily loss risk
Of 600 post offices, only 160 open
28 trade unions on strike
Overtime and fingerprint rules at core
No-pay rule from August
Despite the Government conceding to 17 out of 19 demands, Sri Lanka’s postal workers remain on an indefinite strike, crippling services nationwide and sparking outrage as unions refuse to compromise on overtime payments and fingerprint attendance rules – a deadlock the Postmaster General warns could permanently drive customers away from the State-run service.
The demands encompassed several issues such as permanency for all employees in acting, substitute, and labour positions, the prompt filling of all vacancies, and addressing outstanding issues in the postal transport section.
“Of these demands, 17 have received Cabinet approval and have been gazette, with action being taken to implement them. There were issues regarding vehicles, namely about the purchasing of 10 lorries, and they have been resolved. We have also placed the foundation stones of five new offices to be established this year,” Lanka Postal Services Union President Jagath Mahinda told The Sunday Morning.
He stated that the main determinant of the ongoing strike was the payment of overtime (OT) allowances for postal officers, along with an opposition to the directive requiring officers in administrative and accounts offices to record the arrival and departure of workers using fingerprint machines.
Mahinda stated that steps to improve the postal service were underway, with relevant funds set aside for approved initiatives.He further noted that his union was not in support of the ongoing strike action.According to Postmaster General Ruwan Sathkumara, while 17 of the demands have been approved and carried out in various stages, it has not been possible to resolve the last two concerning OT and fingerprint machines due to imposed Government policies.
Sathkumara said: “Most of the foreign mail that had been sent to us before the strike has been brought down, with the remainder currently being brought from the airport. Immediately after the strike has ceased, we will be delivering the mail as needed – we are ready as of now, having already sent the mail we have received to the relevant provincial offices.” If a complete strike were to be carried out, Sri Lanka’s postal service would experience a loss of Rs. 25–30 million daily. Sathkumara said that while they could not calculate such a loss through this strike as of yet, the long-term loss faced by the Department of Posts outweighed any other such cost.“If customers are led to migrate to competitive services due to the delays caused by this strike, the chances of them returning to this service is low. That long-term loss is a great disadvantage to us,” he added.
Currently, out of the around 600 post offices across the country, about 160 are functioning amidst the strike.It was noted that all employees of the Department of Posts were required to report for duty as all staff leave had been cancelled with effect from 17 August. Employees on medical leave are to provide an official Government medical certificate as a proof of their illness, the Postmaster General stated.
He added that no salary payments would be released in August to employees who failed to report for work without approved leave.The strike commenced at the Colombo Central Mail Exchange at 4 p.m. on 17 August, escalating into an Islandwide strike covering all postal and administrative offices.
A total of 28 trade unions – including the Joint Postal Trade Unions’ Front and the Post and Telecommunication Officers’ Union – are participating in the strike.
