Rajapaksa meets selected Lankan unions over pension scheme

�

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa this morning (Monday) began a meeting with some trade unions over the controversial pension scheme for private sector workers.
The meeting began around 10 am (local time) at Temple Trees, the President?s official residence with the participation of these unions and former ruling party parliamentarian Bharatha Lakshman, now Director-General of the unit handling trade union matters at the President?s Office, official sources said. No details were immediately available.
While the Ceylon Bank Employees Union (CBEU), which has challenged the Pensions Bill in the Supreme Court on a violation of fundamental rights, and the UNP-affiliated Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya have been invited along with pro-government unions, many other unions that have objected to the bill have not received invitations for the meeting. Both veteran trade unionists, T.M.R. Rasseedin, President Ceylon Federation of Labour (CFL) and Anton Marcus from the Free Trade Zone umbrella union said they hadn?t received invitations.
Separately the United Federation of Labout is holding a meeting tomorrow with other unions and a picket later to protest over the proposed new laws. Last week the the Joint Business Forum or JBIZ in a statement said the scheme has many ramifications. ?It needs careful thought and preparation and more importantly, a strong consultative process with the relevant stakeholders,? the statement issued by JBIZ Chairman Lal de Alwis said, adding that there is concern not among employers but also trade unions and workers as well. In a April 18 communication to member firms, the Employers Federation of Ceylon (EFC) called for an actuarial study to understand the effectiveness of the scheme. An actuarial study assesses the financial impact of risk and uncertainty.
The EFC also said the mandatory provision means thousands of workers in the Free Trade Zones who work for less than 10 years will be compelled to participate but not get the eventual benefits. ? Ends -

Source: http://www.sundaytimes.lk/index.php/latest/6774-rajapaksa-meets-selected-lankan-unions-over-pension-scheme

Vladimir Putin North and Central America JS Bach Beach holidays Pop and rock Waste