A coalition of fourteen trade unions representing Development Officers has issued a stern warning of impending trade union action, accusing the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government of misusing public funds to advance a political agenda.
In a joint statement, the unions pointed out that the Minister held exclusive discussions with pro-government trade unions, while repeatedly ignoring formal requests from independent trade union bodies for dialogue.
Letters submitted by non-government-affiliated unions, including on June 3 and July 23, have reportedly gone unanswered.
Meanwhile, the Minister and senior officials have held at least two rounds of closed-door talks with government-aligned unions, though union representatives say those meetings yielded no tangible outcomes.
Among the signatories to the latest letter sent to the Minister are the Development Officer Trade Union Conference, the All Ceylon Government Development Officers Joint Trade Union, the Joint Development Officers Centre, the All Ceylon Disaster Relief Service Officers Trade Union, and the Economic Development Officers Union.
The unions are now calling for an immediate, inclusive dialogue with all trade unions representing Development Officers. If the Minister fails to respond promptly and fairly, they warn, coordinated trade union action will follow.
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