Apparel workers in tea-time protest

Nearly a thousand apparel workers formed a picket line at the Free Trade Zone area at Biyagama to draw the attention of the Government to the promised monthly wage increase of Rs. 2,500, a senior trade unionist said.

Anton Marcus with the Free Trade Zone Apparel Union said the tea time picket took place at 4.00 pm and lasted for one hour. 

“Similar protests will be carried out on a regular basis to take the workers message home until the government comes up with the promised pay hike”, he said. 

The government failed to comply with the pre-election pledge of a Rs. 2,500 pay increase and therefore trade union protests of this nature will continue in the future to force the authorities to reverse this thinking, Mr. Marcus further added.