All Ceylon Transport Employees’ Association General Secretary Sepala Liyanage yesterday said they will not join the government doctors’ proposed strike today.
Meanwhile, transport sector trade unions said there will be no impact on public transport operations conducted by Sri Lanka Transport Board or private transport operators due to the strike.
Sepala Liyanage said they have decided not to participate in the strike called by Government Medical Officers’ Association, but they will join with them in the steps that will follow if the government did not address the issue related to the controversial South Asia Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) in Malabe.
Liyanage said they are against the privatization of higher education and allowing an institute such as SAITM to award medical degrees is not acceptable.
He said they are prepared to go for a general strike with all other trade unions which are set to hit the streets against SAITM in support of the doctors.
GMOA doctors said over 160 trade unions belonging to transport, education, health and other sectors have pledged their support to their strike against SAITM.
It will be carried out as an ultimatum to push the government to abolish SAITM or nationalize it, they said.
Ceylon Teachers Union Secretary Joseph Stalin said they will join the doctors’ strike tomorrow against SAITM.
He said principals and teachers of government schools will apply for sick leave today to participate in the strike.
He said the government is trying to privatize the country’s education system by opening private institutions. However, it will have to close down SAITM instead, Stalin said.