The Sri Lanka Railway Station Masters’ Union (SLRSMU) has issued a final ultimatum to the Government, warning that its members will launch an indefinite strike if their longstanding grievances are not addressed by the end of today.
Speaking to the media, SLRSMU Chairman Sumedha Somaratne said the union’s executive committee is scheduled to convene tomorrow (21) to determine the course of action, including the possibility of continuous trade union action if a satisfactory response is not received from the authorities.
The warning follows a one-day nationwide strike staged by the union from midnight on May 16 to midnight on May 17, which caused widespread disruption to railway services and left thousands of commuters stranded.
At the heart of the dispute are unresolved issues related to recruitment policies and promotional procedures within the Department of Railways, concerns the union claims have been repeatedly raised with no meaningful resolution.
“We have shown restraint and responsibility by ending our one-day strike in good faith. But if the Government continues to ignore our reasonable demands, we will have no choice but to proceed with an indefinite strike,” Somaratne said.
He reiterated that the union’s demands are neither new nor excessive, and called on the relevant authorities to engage in constructive dialogue to avoid further escalation.
The potential strike threatens to paralyse rail operations across the country once again.
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