CEB engineers on warpath

By Ifham Nizam

The members of the Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers Union yesterday went on a sick note campaign, urging the Treasury to adjust their salary ratio.

A senior engineer told ‘The Island’ that despite the assurance given by the Head of the Country, President Mahinda Rajapaksa, authorities had failed to look into their demands.

Of the nearly 16,000 workforce, there are little over 700 engineers but they are the most powerful among the 52 unions of the CEB. Other Unions said that if the engineers resorted to work to rule, things wouldn’t be easy for anyone at the CEB.

CEB Joint Trade Alliance, Spokesman, Ananda Numalaratne told ‘The Island’ yesterday that any major action by the engineers, other unions would be compelled to support them. "Either we have to support or be neutral, being neutral would not affect the actions of the engineer," he stressed.

‘The Island’ learns that the engineers were planning to summon a special general meeting of their union to decide on their future actions.

Some of the engineers yesterday expressed confidence that the Treasury would soon take a decision on a proposal that the CEB’s management grade be given a pay hike six times higher than that given to the lowest grade.


A senior engineer told ‘The Island’ yesterday that currently, with the 25 per cent salary hike granted to everyone in the Board last month was not enough.

Although the engineers spelt out their demand to President Mahinda Rajapaksa at a recent meeting, Power and Energy Minister, Patali Champika Ranawaka was not in favour of it. However, Power and Energy, Ministry Secretary, M.M.C. Ferdinando sought the approval of the Treasury to grant the engineers’ demand.

‘The Island’ learns that if the engineers’ demand is to be met, the debt ridden CEB will have to incur an additional Rs. 160 million annually.

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