CEB trade unions to continue strike as talks fail

UPDATE (9.02pm) - CEB employees on casual and probation and those in essential duties have been ordered to report for duty at 7.30am tomorrow (15), while those who fail to do so are to be considered as having vacated their posts. 

The announcement was made by the Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy, a short while ago, after CEB trade unions opted to continue their strike.

Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) trade unions have decided to continue with their strike action as discussions with authorities have failed. 

Minister of Power and Renewable Energy Ranjith Siyambalapitiya and Deputy Minister Ajith P. Perera also participated in the talks held with CEB trade unions today (14) at the ministry premises.

During the meeting, the minister pointed out that it was unfair to resort to a strike despite solution being provided with regard to the demands put forward by the trade unions.

The CEB Workers’ Union launched an strike from Wednesday (13) over several demands including the revision of the salary ratio.

They had threatened to continue with the strike indefinitely if authorities fails to provide them with a solution int he given time. 

The trade union said that no repair work will be carried in the case of a breakdowns or power failures except at government hospitals during the strike. 

The trade union demands that  the salary ratio be revised from 1:6 to 1:9 among other demands.

Meanwhile the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) had announced that the leave of all CEB employees had been cancelled from yesterday (13) until September 20.