Sri Lanka Postal services disrupted by nationwide strike

All postal workers in Sri Lanka have launched a strike from midnight yesterday (August 17).

The strike was initiated based on 19 demands, including the proper payment of overtime allowances and resolving staff shortages.

The Postal and Telecommunications Officers’ Association, the Joint Postal Trade Union Alliance, and several other trade unions have joined the strike.

The demands include the proper payment of overtime allowances, filling staff shortages, addressing issues in the postal transport sector, and granting three proposed salary increments for frontline officers.

However, Postmaster General Ruwan Sathkumara stated that despite the strike, more than three thousand sub-post offices remain open.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, said the postal workers’ strike is unfair, as fair salaries and overtime have already been provided.

The Minister urged postal employees to suspend the strike and return to duty.