By Shamindra Ferdinando

Justice Minister Ali Sabry, PC, says specific measures are required to thwart trade unions from disrupting essential sectors.

Acknowledging that trade unions’ right to strike as part of their overall strategy, the SLPP National List MP emphasised the pivotal importance of them, too, being subject to some conditions.

Minister Sabry pointed out that many countries in different regions have adopted measures to prevent destabilisation of essential services much to the discomfort of the public.

The Justice Minister said so when The Island sought his response to strong criticism of his recent call to ban strikes.

Professionals’ National Front (PNF) in a strongly worded letter dated Feb. 03 addressed to the Justice Minister asked him whether the government intended to suppress trade unions. The letter issued under the hand of PNF’s Secretary Kapila Renuka Perera questioned whether Minister Sabry was preparing the ground work to sell the remaining national assets.

MP Sabry told The Island that various interested parties had misinterpreted his original statement on the issue at hand. “Let me stress again, I didn’t call for a total ban on strikes under any circumstances.

Therefore, those who have criticised me for pushing for elimination of strikes should listen to what I told the electronic media recently.”

The Minister said that Sri Lanka could study safeguards adopted by other countries to prevent disruptive trade union actions. Referring to international standards in this regard, Minister Sabry pointed out that trade unions had to consult the entire membership through a ballot and the mandatory requirement to give 14 day notice before going on strike.

Responding to another query, the lawmaker said: “This is my opinion. I have no intention to give up that position.”

The President’s Counsel said that though he hadn’t brought this issue before the Parliament or political authority he strongly believed all stakeholders should give sufficient attention to the crises caused by some trade unions.

Referring to recent Railway strike, Minister Sabry said that a deliberate bid was made to undermine government efforts to attract foreign tourists, at a time the cash-strapped economy was struggling to cope up with current difficulties. Railway strike left over 200 foreigners on their way to Ella stranded on the upcountry line. “We had to arrange buses to take them to the final destination,” lawmaker Sabry said, underscoring that trade union action was obviously taken with one objective to cause chaos, thereby derailing government efforts to revive tourism.

Minister Sabry said that one of those foreigners who had been affected by the Railway strike declared in social media they would never encourage anyone to visit Sri Lanka.

The top lawyer said that the public had been severely inconvenienced due to public sector workers resorting to trade union actions over what the MP called private disputes. There had been instances of public sector strikes due to an altercation between a member of a particular trade union and another representing some other body, MP Sabry said.

The minister stressed that a dialogue was necessary to explore ways and means of reaching a consensus on what he called responsible trade union set-up.

The lawmaker stressed that strikes affected the public, particularly those struggling to make ends meet, certainly not the President and cabinet of ministers. Those who eternally speak of the rights and privileges of the public sector conveniently ignored the rapid deterioration of the public service in spite of significant expansion.

Minister Sabry said that trade unions couldn’t wage war against the administration at the expense of the people. The minister alleged that such strategies had been exercised over the years at the expense of the hapless public while successive governments and Opposition appeared to have not addressed the contentious issue.

Could trade union campaigns be allowed to jeopardise the overall well-being of the people? Minister Sabry asked. Would it be fair for those in the public sector to push for their rights disregarding the suffering of the needy, MP Sabry asked.