island.lk

A countrywide train strike was called off last night after Transport Minister Kumara Welgama directed General Manager Railways B. A. P. Ariyaratne to give a written assurance to striking unions that their demands would be met by Friday.

Train services countrywide came to a grinding halt by 4.00 p.m. yesterday due to a lightning strike launched by four unions leaving thousands of commuters.

Those who struck work included Railway Guards numbering over 500, Station Masters (1,200), Foremen (500) and Signal Controllers (200). The total number of strikers exceeded 3,000.

Transport Minister Kumara Welgama, General Manager Railways Ariyaratne and Additional General Manager Railways Nalaka Bandara with the help of non-strikers forced open the control room and other nerve centres and got some trains running.

The reason for the strike has been the government not adopting a circular relating to the public services salaries including theirs, Secretary of the Organisation for the Protection of Railways told The Island. He said the circular had been issued way back in 2006.

It was a tough call and the GMR had to get the trains moving as ordered by Transport Minister Kumara Welgama for the benefit of the office workers, Transport Ministry Media Secretary Sujith Vidanapathirana told The Island last night.

Several trains left the Fort Railway Station for areas such as Negombo, Veyangoda, Kalutara, Panadura and Negombo.

The train control room was manned by Minister Welgama, the GMR Ariyaratne and AGMR (Operations) Nalaka Bandara.

The Minister had directed the GMR to find out whether there were legal provisions for the unions to launch a lightning strike leaving so many people stranded, Vidanapathirana said.

Secretary of the Railway Guards Union Nalaka Fernando said that the four striking unions were at a meeting with the Minister and he could not talk of their grievances over the phone.

The Secretary of the Station Masters’ Union N. Ruwanpathirana was not available for comment.