Minister keeps his promise of uninterrupted power supply

JVP-led sick note campaign at CEB claims success

By Ifham Nizam

The Joint Trade Union Coalition of Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) yesterday claimed that their `sick note’ campaign was a great success.

However, Power and Energy Minister, Patali Champika Ranawaka took all measures to avert any blackouts in the country yesterday.

Ranawaka instructed CEB Chairman, Prof. Wimaladharma Abeywickrema and Lanka Electricity Company (LECO) Chairman Chandana Haputantri to take all measures to ensure `smooth sailing’ during the festive season.

The Union’s General Secretary, H. A. Ranjan Jayalal of the JVP told ‘The Island’ that the sick note campaign was well organised but they did attend to breakdowns. "We delayed but attended to them," he added.

However, he said that apart from Colombo, consumers in the outstations faced inconvenience due to delays in attending to breakdowns.

He also said that new recruits to the CEB were forced to work in Colombo. "But their tactics didn’t work in the outstations," he added.

He also said that none of the officials had responded to their numerous requests for a discussion. "This shows the politically appointed officials’ attitude towards the working class," he said.

The Unions are demanding a 20 per cent pay hike because they were given only 25 per cent when they requested a 45 per cent hike.

The executives, too, got the same increase but recently they were given another 20 per cent or more in order to maintain the salary parity between executives and non executive staff.

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