Focus has been paid on increasing the prices of train tickets as a solution to the financial crisis befallen the Department of Railway. Several days earlier, there was a sudden hike in train ticket prices but the move was reversed at the Transport Minister’s intervention.
However, trade unions responding to the Railway Department are highly against the idea of increasing train ticket prices and warning that trade union actions will be taken against any price hike.
In response, Subject Minister Dilum Amunugama stated yesterday (28) that the overtime payments of railway workers may have to be slashed should a price surge on tickets not be taken place. The increased loss incurred by the Railway Department amid the fuel price surge has to be recovered, the Minister went on, adding that in doing so, one of the above options has to be compromised.
However, the trade unions also demonstrate their objection against the slashing of overtime payments entitled to the railway workers, stating that their trade union actions will be intensified upon such a move.
Overtime has become an essential element in railway service to maintain the operations and if an action is taken to slash the overtime payments, the entire railway service will collapse instead of the resolving the crisis, warned S.P. Vithanage, President of the All Ceylon Railway General Employees Union.
MIAP
