Country before self

Last Friday’s CEB strike was reportedly a flop. Barring a few incidents in some sub stations, the call to strike was largely ignored and there were no interruptions to the power supply. The strikers were demanding a salary increase which they say is long overdue. The Minister referred to the difficulties in meeting the salary demands in the present economic climate but nevertheless has promised a ‘remarkable’ increase to the 14,000 strong CEB workforce in January according to our weekend paper the Sunday Observer.

The CEB strike was the first threatened work stoppage in a key state body following the liberation of the country from terrorism. It has to be stated here that the country’s workforce by and large abided by the calls made by the Government to bear with the difficulties at a time the war was being prosecuted in earnest.

A large majority of the public were willing to undergo difficulties on behalf of the nation and the sacrifices made by the Armed Forces. The many responses given to TV questions by the man on the street during that period amply bore this out.

Strikes at the time of a decisive phase of the three-decade-long war could only have invited the wrath of the general public on the strikers.

The country’s workforce, however, should be commended for their patriotism during those crucial days for not rocking the boat which could have derailed progress in the battlefront. However now it appears that the workers are returning to the status quo after the victory and are trying to rock the boat of the state at a time when the nation is gradually getting back its bearings and trying to emerge out of the grave economic situation left behind by a wasteful war.

Compounding the situation is the global economic recession that has hit all the powerful nations throwing millions out of jobs.

The CEB unions which planned the strike action should consider themselves fortunate that they have pay packets to take home at all and should be thankful to the Government for steering the economy in the right direction despite the war, so that we have been insulated in large measure from the fall out of the crisis.

By resorting to strike action they have not only displayed their insensitivity to the predicament of the Government - whom they not so long ago were cheering in the march to victory - but also their callousness to the sacrifices of the valiant men on the battlefield for whom salaries and perks did not come into the equation in their mission to salvage the Motherland. Besides, the country has now embarked on post war rebuilding and this is hardly a time for acts of sabotage.

On the other hand it would amount to a betrayal negating their earlier sacrifices made on behalf of the nation.

Therefore those Unions planning strike action in the future should act with circumspection in the evolving scenario. They should attune themselves to the changed circumstances where the country now has to be rebuilt from scratch following the ravages of three decades of war and the economy stabilized for salary increases to be viable. The country after all has attained its ‘second independence’ with the war victory which necessitates things starting anew with a fresh approach.

A Herculean task awaits the Government in rebuilding the economy and in such a climate it is unfair to demand salary hikes. True, the working class is under tremendous pressures having to grapple with the high cost of living. But it behoves on them to bear with the Government as they did during those crucial days.

This is because although the battle is over the war is not yet won. i.e. rebuilding the economy so that the fruits of victory could be enjoyed by all.

They should not only think in terms of salary increments but take into account the macro picture in a post war Sri Lanka. Potential strikers also ought to realise that long term benefits will accrue to them only if the economy is stabilized. Then salaries could be doubled and there would be no need for strikes. Hopefully, those planning strike action in the future would take cognizance of this reality and act with responsibility.

The country is in a transitional phase after putting behind a ruinous war and rebuilding has to take top priority before anything else for the economic benefits to flow to the country at large.