The National Trade Union Center (NTUC) held an online national rally on the 17th under ‘Trade Union Responsibility in the Face of the Government Sacrificing People’s Lives’.
Chairman of the National Trade Union Center, KD Lalkantha said that the working people, including the trade unions, have a huge role in resurrecting the country from the current catastrophe and that they should all take the lead together. He also said that the working people would take the lead in building a massive organization to carry forward the achievements of the trade union movement. Following is the full text of Lal Kantha’s speech at the rally.
“According to yesterday’s report, 118 people died due to corona. There will be more deaths today, and there will be deaths tomorrow as well. Now there is a struggle for survival on one side. How can the trade unions intervene in it? The trade union movement was able to defeat the treacherous activities of the government.
When the racketeers were trying to sell the eastern jetty of the port to foreign racketeers, all the trade unions came together and warned the government of strike action. At that time, the government took a step back. There is a victory in that. The trade union movement won with the support of the general public.
We now have a struggle for survival. At present, the role of the government is to abandon its activities. Now economic mediations have been reduced. The government abandons what it had and hands over the pandemic to the people. The attempt to sell the East Jetty was stopped. Kotelawala Act was pushed back. When the trade unions, students and political movements opposed it, it was pushed back. There too, the trade unions played a big role. A group including trade union leaders was imprisoned. Nevertheless, we got the bill postponed.
Now there is a new challenge. The CPC is going to be abolished. 13 acres of the port have been handed over to China. The move to sell the Electricity Board has started. First, the unions have a role to play. When the East Jetty was sold, all the trade unions came together. However, now those in the government are not present when the Petroleum Corporation, the Electricity Board and the port are to be sold.
Oil, port and electricity have all come together now. There is power as trade unions. As they are divided into political parties, it is necessary to amalgamate them.
For 23 years, the government took half of the teachers’ pay. The President, the Prime Minister, the Ministers do not get only half of their salaries. Now, the Teachers’ Principals and Pirivena Teachers have merged. That struggle can end in victory. Where did that power come from? The power came from the trade union movement. Other health workers, however, are divided. Taken together, they took victories. Trade unions have a big role to play. Those who are divided and scattered have been united and reconciled. That was a big win. All of this is coming together today. While the people’s hopes have been dashed on all sides, the trade union movement is intervening. While the government continued to lag until people died, the trade union movement came to the fore. All the unions came together to work as equals. The government took a step back when it was told that workers would stay at home voluntarily. The influence of trade associations and other organizations and the letter from the Mahanayake Theros also had an effect.
Therefore, we have shown that the trade union movement has given hope to the people when the government, which took two-thirds majority has faltered.
A massive movement based on the health trade union movement is needed to force the government to crack down on corona. The government’s motto is to ‘live with Corona’. It is because the government cannot manage it. There are nurses’ associations and doctors’ associations, and Ayurvedic doctors have not been given an opportunity to take any action on this yet. As such, all these should be rallied as health trade unions to force the government.
There would definitely be a famine in the future. Also, a peasant struggle is inevitable. However, the government has no answer to this farmer’s issues. So, the government has no other option other than selling the Electricity Board, the Petroleum Corporation, the port and lands, and they can’t even think of another answer.
Therefore, we have no right to remain as before when the crisis in this country is coming to a final stage. We believe that all trade unions should unite and go for a national program to take these achievements forward. Now the ‘flower bud’ unions at the port are doing what the government wants. We ask the members, not the leaders, to join this struggle.
When the country and the lives of the people are being destroyed to this level, and in the struggle to protect the farmers’ farmlands, there is a gap within the country to fill. If there is no clear answer to this wave of destruction, this is the starting point for massive mass movements. The National Trade Union Movement has taken the initiative to do so. If the working masses only think about their salary, promotions and transfers, they are useless. Therefore, let us embark on a new journey to salvage this country and make it an amicable place for all people, including the working masses, to live. We invite all working people for that. We wish you courage and strength.”
Samantha Koralearachchi, President of the All Ceylon Health Trade Union Federation, Dr Jayantha Bandara, Secretary of the All Ceylon Medical Officers ‘Association, Dr Nilantha Bandara, Organizing Secretary of the All Ceylon Ayurvedic Medical Officers’ Association, Secretary of the All Ceylon Nurses Association SB Mediwatta, Secretary of the All Ceylon Ward Clerks Association Renuka Liyanage and General Secretary of the All Ceylon Health Services Association Mahinda Guruge addressed the rally. The National Rally was conducted by the President of the Samas Lanka Nurses Association Prabath Palipana.
