Measures are being taken to obtain assets and liabilities statements from Trade Union leaders who are yet to submit their declarations, Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara said.
Minister Manusha Nanayakkara said trade union leaders of government and semi-government institutions are required to submit their assets and liabilities statements according to the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities Act.
He pointed out that, however, no union leader has provided such a statement so far to the Secretary of the Ministry of Labour annually as required by the law.
Minister Nanayakkara stated, therefore, the Secretary of the Ministry of Labour is currently making efforts to obtain assets and liabilities statements from such union leaders.
The Minister also stated that although the Ministry of Labour has not acted on the matter in the past, the Ministry Secretary will request such assets and liabilities statements in the future from union leaders from government and semi-government institutions.
“Government employees are bound by the Institutional Code. It mentions the guidelines when appointing officers to trade unions. Some employees who have worked in trade unions for twenty to thirty years have not done their entitled work, even for a single day. The people should decide whether it is correct to appoint people to trade unions in government and semi-government institutions and pay salaries for 20 years for not doing their designated work. Government businesses are maintained by people’s taxes. Is it fair to make collective agreements and allow such union leaders to get two or three salaries and receive millions of overtime payments even when such institutions are making losses? According to the Assets and Liabilities Act, all union leaders are required to provide assets and liabilities statements. But until now, no trade union leader has given statements of their assets and liabilities. Therefore, the Secretary of the Ministry of Labour is making renewed efforts to get their assets and liabilities statements at the earliest” the minister stated. (NewsWire)
