Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has accused the government of compromising the country’s Trade Union Movement. He made this statement at a discussion held on Friday.

The discussions between the UNP-affiliated Jathika Sewaka Sangamaya, the UNP Working Committee and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, was held at the headquarters of the Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya  on Friday morning.

Opposition Leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe shared these views:

[quote]The trade unions do not have as much power as they did in the past. One of the problems today is that the government is compromising the trade union movement. As a result of the movement being compromised, we cannot speak about large scale embezzlement that is happening in the country today. We do not have that strength. Especially with regard to the Employees Provident Fund. We established the Trust Fund. What has happened to these funds today? Are they being used to pay government debts? How much money has been left over for the employees? How much of that money has been sunk into covering the government’s deficit? Eventually, what has happened is that there is no money to provide the provident allowances that employees in this country are due. These funds are being maintained with much difficulty today. The Provident Fund must be protected. They have compromised the trade union movement so they can steal from the Provident Fund.[/quote]

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