The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Trade Unions yesterday warned of a continuous islandwide strike.
The unions are demanding a concrete answer to the issue regarding the Trincomalee tank farm lease issue within this week.
CPC Trade Unions’ Collective Convener D. J. Rajakaruna speaking told Daily News yesterday that they wrote to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe informing the above decision.
“We have given time to the Government to address our concerns on the Trincomalee oil tank farm. If this was not done, we will be forced to resume the strike which was temporarily called off on April 24,” he said.
He said even though the Prime Minister did not sign any legal agreement pertaining to the Trincomalee oil tanks during his visit to India as agreed, it has been included in the MoU signed between the two countries.
“As of the time frame in the MoU, the deal has to be finalized by July. That means the drafting of agreement should start now as it needs several weeks to get the approval of the Attorney General and Cabinet. Therefore we need to bring this issue to the limelight prior to being inked” he pointed out.
He also said a leaflet campaign to raise public awareness on the facts of the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm was carried out yesterday in Fort, Kolonnawa, Maradana, Dematagoda, Kiribathgoda and Sapugaskanda.
“The Government was trying to establish a distorted opinion that the oil tank farm was of no avail. We replied to these claims through our leaflet campaign,” he said.
CPC Chairman Nandun Fernando said they were not yet officially informed of trade union action.He said there had been no disruption by the workers’ leaflet campaign.