Stop violent repression of legitimate workers' protest action

Solidarity with Sri Lankan workers

June 2011

The TUC is supporting the International Trade Union Confederation's call to show solidarity to fellow workers in Sri Lanka, in calling on the Sri Lankan government to withdraw the 'Employees' Pensions Benefit Fund Bill' which was presented to its Parliament on 08 April.

This Bill was contested by the Joint Trade Union Alliance (JUTA) which comprises 26 Sri Lankan trade union organisations on 24 May, as it would seriously curtail their retirement benefits. In the following days, tens of thousands of workers took to the streets in Colombo and the Katunayake Export Process Zone (EPZ) in legitimate protest action which was organised by the JUTA.

These legitimate demonstrations was met with fierce police violent repression which included the use of automatic weapon, at which resulted in the death of a 22-year old and injury to 270 workers, 60 of whom seriously.

Following this violent repression the police handed over the security of the Katunayake EPZ to the military which means the workers are effectively deprived of their right to assemble, protest and take collective trade union action.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber has written to the Acting High Commissioner at the Sri Lankan High Commission to urge its Government to withdraw with immediate effect the Employees Pension Benefit Fund Bill; establish a full and independent investigation into the incidents during these protest actions and to offer compensation and job security for the victims of the excessive police violence.

Mr P M Amza
Acting High Commissioner
High Commission of Sri Lanka
13 Hyde Park Gardens
London W2 2LU

Dear High Commissioner

Violent repression of legitimate workers' protest

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is the voice of Britain at work, with over 6 million members.

On behalf of the TUC General Council, I write to ask for your intervention to halt the progress of the 'Employees' Pension Benefit Fund Bill' which was presented in the Sri Lanka Parliament on 08 April.

This was immediately contested by the Joint Trade Union Alliance (JUTA) which comprises of 26 Sri Lankan trade union organisations, as the workers of Sri Lanka believe it would seriously curtail their retirement benefits.

Our information is that in the days that followed, legitimate workers' protest action was organised by JUTA, in the Colombo and Katunayake Export Processing Zone areas, but these were met with fierce police violent repression including the use of automatic weapons. This has resulted in the death of a 22-year old worker and another 270 workers injured.

Moreover, your country, which ratified ILO Convention 87(1995) and Convention 98 (1972), is obliged to observe the workers' rights enshrined in them.

The TUC expresses its outrage over this death and deep concern over the situation within the country and asks for your immediate intervention against these acts of violent repression.

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Yours sincerely

Brendan Barber

General Secretary

For more information and background on the violation of trade union rights in Sri Lanka see ITUC Annual Survey on Violations