Minister’s decision regarding 62 electricity employees.
CEB employees suspended during the previous administration to be reinstated with privileges
The reinstatement of the privileges and cancellation of the transfer of punishments of sixty-two (62) employees who were suspended and repressed for participating in the workers’ protest held last January against the sale of the Electricity Board was carried out by a special order of Energy Minister Engineer Kumara Jayakody.
The employees met the Minister at the Ceylon Electricity Board headquarters today (24).
Electricity employees are an asset to the institution.
A group of those employees were met as part of the Minister’s inspection tour of the Electricity Board headquarters.
Speaking at the event, Minister Engineer Kumara Jayakody said that the employees of the Electricity Board are considered an important asset to the institution.
He stated that it was a pleasure to act on behalf of the employees who campaigned and fought to save the institution and that he knew that the employees fought to save the Electricity Board.
He further stated that defeating the plan taken by the previous government to sell off the country’s property at will is a victory for the people of this country and that the new government of the National People’s Power is aimed at protecting the national resources of this country and that everyone should work together to protect and develop the institution.
A great victory for the trade unions.
Ranjan Jayalal, General Secretary of the Lanka Electricity Employees’ Union, who participated in this event, made a statement and said that although the previous government passed bills to split and sell off the Electricity Board, the people working in the Electricity Board and in this country defeated that plan by expelling that government.
He also stated that this victory is also a great victory for the trade union movement in the country.
He further said that although the then government and the then minister acted to arbitrarily suppress a legal protest and ban the services of sixty-two (62) electricity workers, it is a victory for the electricity trade unions including the Lanka Electricity Employees Union to intervene to achieve justice for them today.
The acquitted are released from all charges.
At this, the employees who were acquitted of all charges and reinstated in the CEB service expressed their gratitude to the new government, the Minister and the CEB Governing Authority for reinstating them and reinstating the suspended privileges.
Following the meeting with the employees, the Hon. Minister, the Acting General Manager of the CEB, Eng. W. Edussuriya and senior CEB officials also held a discussion on the future work of the Board.