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Trade
Unions to pressurise govt to implement EU conditions
Retaining
GSP + facility
By
Jayashika Padmasiri
The Trade Union Confederation (TUC) yesterday announced
that they would pressurise the government to implement the
EU conditions for the GSP plus duty free concessions and to
prevent Sri Lanka from losing the GSP plus facility.
Trade Union Federation President Saman Ratnapriya addressing
a media briefing yesterday, said that more than 200,000 people
employed in the textile industry would loose their jobs.
“The government is saying that it makes no difference
for them whether Sri Lanka looses the GSP plus facility or
not. The employers’ union has also given up. However,
more than 200,000 will loose their jobs if this takes place
and a huge economic crisis will occur. We are ready to ask
the global trade unions to support us to retain the GSP plus
facility but for that the government needs to implement the
EU conditions,” he said.
The Co-Chairman of the confederation Anton Marks said that
the government should soon implement the recommendations made
by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and legislate
the laws related to labour rights. He added that the human
rights issue should also be addressed or otherwise it would
be difficult to retain the GSP plus facility.
“We want to retain the GSP plus facility for the county,
not for the industry or the government. But the government
and the Employees Union have to join hands and help us to
retain the GSP plus facility. Without their help we can’t
do it. The Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) is also
responsible for this and they must fulfil their duty first
before pointing the finger at the government.”
A special representative of the American Federation of Labour
and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) Jeffrey
Waugh was also present at the press briefing.
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