May 21, Colombo (LNW): Engineers attached to Sri Lanka’s Road Development Authority (RDA) have commenced an indefinite trade union campaign from today, escalating tensions with authorities over unresolved salary disputes and administrative concerns.
The Engineers’ Association of the RDA said the decision was taken after repeated discussions with relevant officials failed to produce meaningful progress on key demands, particularly issues relating to salary anomalies and professional recognition.
Speaking on the matter, Association President Umesh Aluthapala stated that engineers would immediately withdraw from participating in several external government coordination bodies, including District and Divisional Coordination Committees, which play a major role in overseeing infrastructure and development activities.
He further explained that engineers had also decided to suspend involvement in duties falling outside the legal scope of the RDA Act, even in instances where such responsibilities had previously been carried out to support broader national development needs.
According to union representatives, many engineers have long raised concerns about increasing workloads, unequal salary structures and the growing expectation to handle responsibilities beyond their official mandate without adequate compensation or institutional support.
The association warned that the industrial action could disrupt planning, supervision and coordination work linked to road construction and public infrastructure projects across the country if a prompt resolution is not reached.
