Workers demonstrate against privatization

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 October 2002, 10:55 GMT]
Thousands of workers belonging to state and private sector establishments Thursday afternoon held a large demonstration for about an hour in front of the Fort Railway station in the heart of Colombo protesting against the United National Front government's (UNF's) privatization policy. They shouted slogans and carried placards condemning the wholesale sell out of the country's remaining resources to the transnational companies.

Demonstrators later participated in a protest march at around 12.30 in the afternoon from Fort railway station to Hyde Park where a rally was held. Members of more than twenty-five independent trade unions and Peoples' Action Groups participated in the demonstration.

Representatives of the Alliance of the Protection of National Resources, Ceylon Electricity Board joint trade unions, Ceylon Bank Employees Union, Ceylon Mercantile Union, Sri Lanka Insurance Workers' Union, United Federation of Labour, Independent General Service Union, Free Trade Zone Workers Unions and Railway trade unions participated in the demonstration and the rally held at Hyde Park.