Country crippled due to trade union action

• More than a thousand trade unions have joined in
• Entrance road to BIA from expressway was blocked 

By Chaturanga Samarawickrama  

Following the countrywide token strikes organised by workers of the government, semi-government, and private sector yesterday (28)  in protest of the government, essential services in the country were  crippled.  More than a thousand trade unions have joined in demanding  the President and the government to go home.  

People in many sectors,  including education, transport, estates, ports, electricity, banks,  postal services, Samurdhi, development officers, and workers, are  joining the strike after applying for sick leave.  

Most of the trade unions staged their protest marches  towards the Colombo Fort and to the Galle Face Green, where a continuous  protest was conducted against the government.  

The majority of the roads in Colombo and its suburbs were  deserted. Train services came to a standstill due to the participation  in the trade union action.  

Meanwhile, all the towns in the Nuwara Eliya District were  closed, including the shops. The main and sub-roads connecting Badulla, Anuradhapura, Kekirawa, and several areas in Jaffna were blocked by the  protesters.  
The Colombo-Kandy main road was blocked by huge amounts of  traffic due to a protest organised by the employees of export processing  zones in Wathupitiwala and Malwatta.  

Meanwhile, the entrance road to the Bandaranaike  International Airport (BIA) from the expressway was blocked due to a  protest staged in the area. Passengers departing the  country are seen walking to the airport premises.  
The transport service in the country came to a stop to some extent, but several private buses were seen operating.     

• Majority of roads in Colombo and suburbs deserted
• Colombo-Kandy main road blocked due to a protest by EPZ employees
• Train services came to a standstill
• Most trade unions staged their protest marches towards Colombo Fort