Trade unions at the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) have stepped up their industrial action and refused to participate in procurement and tender-related activities in protest against the government’s restructuring plans for the state utility.
The trade union action which began as a work-to-rule campaign on 4 September is being spearheaded by the CEB Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) and several affiliated unions.
Over the weekend, workers staged a protest outside CEB headquarters in Colombo Fort and launched a sick-note campaign, highlighting growing frustration with the government’s refusal to engage in dialogue.
Priyantha Wickramasinghe, General Secretary of the New Employees Union said that although two weeks have passed, the authorities have failed to address their demands.
The unions have raised concerns about alleged irregularities in the proposed restructuring, and fear potential job losses, a claim the government has repeatedly denied.
Officials insist that the restructuring process will not result in layoffs and that workers’ concerns are unfounded.
However, the refusal by trade union members to participate in procurement and tender processes could now disrupt essential operations, including the management of electricity supply and key infrastructure projects.
Despite mounting pressure, the government has so far refused to initiate talks with the unions, further deepening the standoff.
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