- Responds to Labour Minister’s claim of no trade union leaders’ submitting assets/liabilities declarations
The Convenor of the Collective of All Trade Unions (TU), Ravi Kumudesh yesterday (05) said that the Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara should take steps to release the assets and liabilities of his Parliamentary colleagues before looking into the assets and liabilities of trade union leaders by preparing new labour laws in order to suppress trade unions.
He said this when contacted by The Daily Morning to inquire about the recent statement made by Nanayakkara that none of the trade union leaders have given assets and liabilities statements.
He also said that when the Government implements this proposed new labour law, it is the responsibility of the subject Minister to investigate the assets belonging to trade union leaders and give a special allowance to those leaders who provide a volunteer service without being paid. “As the Labour Minister, he cannot bring such laws whenever he wishes. He must consult them with the trade unions. Now, the President and his Ministers are trying to run the Government by implementing new laws similar to what former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa did. A leader who holds immense power cannot exist. If you are the Labour Minister, you must learn to respect trade unions. Otherwise, you cannot stay in that position,” he claimed.
Meanwhile, speaking to The Daily Morning, the Convenor of the National Trade Union Centre (NTUC), Wasantha Samarasinghe alleged that the main aim of the incumbent Government is to suppress trade unions. He also said that it is ridiculous that the Government, which is unable to punish large scale frauds committed by politicians, is in a hurry to hunt innocent trade union activists, even those who have no proper place to live.
However, speaking to the media recently, Nanayakkara has said that while the Government stands for workers’ rights, when they abuse such rights at times for the sake of their political interests, they have to take appropriate actions and that they therefore want to protect the trade unions that truly stand for the rights and welfare of the workers. He also claimed that no trade union leader has given assets and liabilities statements which are required according to the Assets and Liabilities Declaration Law.
Source By themorning.lk
