Strikes and myths of holding the public hostage - EDITORIAL

Earlier this month, for over a week the health sector was paralysed by a strike called by the Sri Lanka Federation for Health Professionals, who commenced its strike last Monday (07) demanding solutions to seven demands.
Today the strike has been temporarily halted for a period of two weeks, after which unions had promised to recommence their Trade Union action in the event of the Government’s failure to address their problems. 

Thousands of poor patients, who cannot afford the exorbitant prices charged by the hundreds if not thousands of private hospitals, which dot the cities all over the country, were left stranded- the section of the population –over 50 per cent of our 22 million population- do not have the means to avail themselves the benefits of private medical care. 
In the aftermath of the pandemic, hundreds of thousands of workers engaged in daily paid labour lost their employment. These families have now joined the ranks of the new poor.
Most of what was earlier known as the ‘Lower Middle Class’ have now joined the ranks of the poor. They too can no longer afford the costs of private medical care.   

The strike called by the medical trade unions did not erupt suddenly. Health workers initiated several token strikes as far back as February 2021. Unfortunately, the Government chose not to discuss the problems put forward via trade unions. According to the trade unions, the Minister with whom they held discussions, at a press briefing following negotiations misrepresented issues negotiated, literally rescinding agreements reached.

Just months earlier, the country’s education system -interrupted by the Coronavirus for over a year- came to a standstill when teachers demanding a settlement of salary anomalies that had been ‘hanging fire’ for over five years were forced to commence trade union action to gain their rights. 
Two days ago, the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) warned that on Monday they would call a one-day work stoppage if the Government did not stop making ad hoc salary increases to Public Servants. The union charged the Government with violating the National Salaries and Wages Policy. 

The Government leaders, uninformed sections of the public and the media, roundly condemned the striking unions and their membership. Trade unions are accused of exploiting a helpless public. 
Both the Government and critics of the unions have conveniently forgotten the sacrifices made by medical workers during the pandemic putting their lives on the line for public benefit. Similarly, the critics seem to have taken for granted the sacrifices made by the teaching profession -continuing to educate the next generation- despite not having received the wages they have been entitled to over the years. 

The only time the media, union critics and the Government pay any attention to trade unions is when they (TUs) resort to strike action. We then see much hand-wringing about the chaos, union action will apparently unleash upon the country. 
We seldom hear of, or there is little mention made of trade unions’ historic gains. How many people realise that it was the trade union movements which gave us workers the weekend holiday, the eight-hour workday, holiday pay, medical leave, maternity benefits, put an end to child labour, obtained the right to overtime payment and ended the hire and fire practices of yesteryear?

It was the trade union movement under the able leadership of the late Saumyamurthy Thondaman, which won the Upcountry Tamils their citizenship rights, which had been snatched away by the first independent Government of this country.
Despite Ministerial bombasts of unions holding the country to ransom via strikes and other working-class action, it is in fact the trade union movement, which stood up for worker rights and demands a better deal for workers. 
On the other hand, the Governments often take the part of the employers.

One of the best examples of the Government’s anti-working class stance was the enforced 50 per cent wage cut workers had to accept during the recent pandemic due to the Government intervention.
Even today despite the skyrocketing cost of living, galloping inflation and the country returning to a situation of normalcy, many mercantile firms continue with these unjustifiable pay cuts.
Lest we forget, strikes are the last resort of worker agitation. So let’s cut the crap and stop portraying unions and workers as baddies.