CEB union assures no intentional blackouts, protest to go ahead
COLOMBO – The United Trade Union Alliance (UTUA) of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) on Monday (Nov 1) announced it will go ahead with its protest planned for Wednesday (Nov 3), but assured there would be no wilful disruption of power supply.
Convenor CEB UTUA, Ranjan Jayalal, addressing the media on Monday, however said there may be unintended disruptions due to no one being available to attend to breakdowns, as CEB workers from all parts of the country will be coming to Colombo to participate in the protest. He said the Alliance will not take any responsibility for the breakdowns reported at power plants during the protest period.
Previously the Alliance had threated power blackouts similar to the 72-hour strike that crippled the power sector in 1996.
Jayalal said the protest was being launched to object to the sale of national assets to foreign entities and to urge the government to immediately suspend the agreement to sell 40% shares of the Yugadanavi Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Power Plant in Kerawalapitiya to US-based New Fortress Energy Inc.
Trade unions representing the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), and the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) are also expected to participate in the protest action from their respective offices.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Saturday (Oct 30) effectively banned all trade union actions against the energy deal with the US firm by declaring the CEB, CPC and the SLPA along with numerous other public service sectors including banking and food distribution as ‘essential services’, prohibiting collective action. The decree is viewed as an attempt at curtailing possible work-stoppages backed by his disgruntled junior coalition partners, and could send those who violate the order to prison for up to five years.
Ignoring the essential services order, Jayalal said the Alliance was ready to stage a large-scale protest and that it would definitely be staged on Wednesday as announced. He also noted that a petition against the LNG deal, open for signatures since October 29, will be handed over to the relevant authorities on Wednesday.
-ENCL