Colombo - A three-day go-slow campaign by labour unions demanding a salary increase has crippled state-run harbours and petroleum distribution in Sri Lanka, officials said Wednesday. Loading and unloading at the country's main harbour in the capital Colombo was affected after the go-slow started on Wednesday, while most petrol stations stopped serving customers due the trade union action which comes ahead of proposed presidential and parliamentary elections.
Salary increases for the workers were due in January, but the government appealed for workers to hold back on their demands due to the cost of the military campaign against the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
Since end of the civil war in May, unions have been demanding an increase in salaries, but the government has turned down the request.
The government has offered to raise salaries with effect from January next year, a proposal which has been turned down by the unions.
Electricity and water workers have also joined the go-slow campaign, but the impact was not immediately felt by the public as there has been no major breakdown of services.
The government has blamed the main opposition United National Party and the Marxist JVP for the trade union action, claiming that the campaign was politically motivated.
