A large number of opposition trade unions today staged a token strike demanding that the government to revoke the controversial electricity tariff increase.

The Coordinating Committee for Trade Union Alliance stated that over 900 trade unions and 15 political parties joined in the much-hyped strike action.

President of the National Trade Union Centre (NTUC) and former JVP MP, K.D. Lal Kantha, speaking regarding ongoing strike action, said it has been reported that work at schools and private establishments across the island have come to a standstill.

He stated that from morning till noon at the Jayawardenapura Hospital, all except the engineering faculty at the Peradeniya University, all except the medicine faculty at Jayawardenapura and the open entire university had joined in the strike while no lectures were held at the Moratuwa University.

Services at all schools in Anuradhapura have come to a standstill while 90% of shops in that town, 85% of shops in Chilaw as well a large number of private establishments in the city of Colombo have been closed, pledging support to the strike action, Lal Kantha said.

Similarly state and private institutions across the country have supported the strike to pressure the government into reducing electricity tariffs, he said.

The trade unionist further stated that, in a bid to halt the strike action, the government had issued various circulars demanding employees to report to work , which he says was actually a victory for them, however assured that they have not given up on the fight to revise the electricity tariff.

UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake, at a press conference today, also said that the government had made various attempts to sabotage the token strike.

Director of the National Hospital Dr Anil Jasinghe, speaking to Ada Derana, revealed that hospital services had been affected due to it being reported that several trade unions in the health sector were joining in the strike  

He, however, pointed out that services at the National Hospital were not hampered as doctors, nurses, supplementary and other staff had reported to work as per usual.

There has been no hindrance to the daily affairs of the hospital from the strike as both outpatient and internal medical services were carried out in a normal manner, Dr. Jasinghe said.

Meanwhile Ada derana correspondents in areas such as Nuwara Eliya, Galle, Kandy and Anuradhapura reported that the strike had little effect on the daily activities in those respective towns.

However, some schools in Anuradhapura were affected by the strike as many teachers have not reported to work while shops in that town were closed for around 2 hours.

Secretary to the Ministry of Public Management Reforms, P.B. Abeykoon told Ada Derana that attendance at all state establishments including at the Public Management Ministry were above the normal number and that it was impossible to tell a strike was ongoing.  

The Government Information Department quoting government statistics reported that attendance to duties by employees at public sector and public enterprises exceed 93.5%, which is 3.5% more than the daily attendance.