The Sri Lanka Grama Niladhari Union has announced that Grama Niladhari Officers will withdraw from Saturday duties with effect from today (15), citing the government’s failure to address their demands following previous trade union action.

General Secretary of the Association, Neville Wijeratne, stated that Grama Niladhari Officers will refrain from performing duties on Saturdays until further notice.

Grama Niladhari Officers previously reported sick and refrained from attending work on August 10 and 11 over several key demands. These include an increase in travel allowances, making a degree the minimum educational qualification for recruitment, granting the allowances recommended by the ‘Gammanpila Committee’ and approved by the Cabinet, and providing a day’s salary for services rendered on government holidays, including Saturdays.

Speaking today, Wijeratne said the decision to withdraw from Saturday duties was taken as the government had failed to respond to their two-day strike or provide a constructive solution to their key demands.

“As an association, we have decided to call on other associations as well to withdraw from Saturday office duties starting today. Accordingly, we are withdrawing from duties on Saturdays, which we previously performed by sacrificing our holidays without receiving any additional allowance. We will also refrain from carrying out field duties on Saturdays. Therefore, we are boycotting Saturday office duties,” he said.

He added that, until further notice, Grama Niladhari Officers will remain at their domain offices only on Tuesdays and Thursdays.