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CEB
TUs threaten blackout against new Electricity Bill
- JVP
allied TU claims it had sneak preview of amended Bill
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Today’s meeting between Ministry and TUs crucial
By
Santhush Fernando
The trade unions of the Ceylon Electricity Board
(CEB) have threatened to go on an all-out trade union action
if today’s crucial talks fail and if the proposed amendments
are not included into the Sri Lanka Electricity Bill.
Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) President
J. Meegoda, speaking to The Bottom Line said that in the event
the government has turned a deaf ear to its proposals, they
would have no choice but to resort to tough trade union action
to avert the destruction of CEB. “We have caused blackouts
twice before, so we will not hesitate to do it once more in
order to salvage the CEB. Whatever approval is obtained for
the amended bill, we will not allow it to be implemented if
it means a death knell for the CEB.” Meegoda insisted.
“We have handed over our proposals the last time we met
ministry officials. The draft of the amended bill has been
referred to a Ministerial Sub Committee, and is to be presented
in Parliament.” He said. “However, the government
has so far not been courteous as to keep us informed, or,
to provide us with the amended bill.
But
we hope that the government has included our proposals, as
it has not expressed any views to the contrary. Nevertheless,
we will insist that the draft be handed over to us before
it is presented to Parliament, at the meeting with the ministry
officials.” Meegoda said.
“Our biggest concern is that under this Bill, CEB is
a mere player which has to obtain a licence like any other
private entity. We also insist that the CEB should be kept
as a government entity. If the CEB is privatised, consumers
will be at the mercy of businessmen. However, the biggest
threat in such scenario would be to national security.”
However, the JVP affiliated Ceylon Electricity Employees Union
(CEEU) Convenor Ranjan Jayalal claimed that they have got
their hands on the amended bill and further alleged that it
did not include the proposed amendments.
“Government did this as eyewash, to fool the trade unions.
We have with us the new Bill and the government has failed
to include the trade union proposals.” Jayalal said.
“Although the Engineers Union and some other unions have
agreed to consent to the Bill, if their views are included,
we will oppose it in principle. This is a tactical approach
of privatising CEB, which the UNP tried to do openly under
Regaining Sri Lanka.”
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