Teacher's satyagraha continues against unresolved salary anomaly

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Satyagraha action launched by the Ceylon Teachers' Union of Sri Lanka demanding the immediate intervention of the President and the Minister of Finance to resolve the 24 year teacher-principal salary disparity went into effect for the fourth day on Friday (29). The protest was being held at a place reserved for the Galle Face protesters when a heated situation arose when the police appeared with a court order. The Police alleged that a the protest area was a hypersensitive environmental zone, and the teachers' unions in turn stated that being a noiseless satyagraha, there is no harm being done to the environment. Meanwhile a group including Ven. Ulapane Sumangala Thero appeared before the Fort Magistrate's Court today on behalf of the teachers who are engaged in the protest.. Ven. Ulapane Sumangala Thero, the Convener of the National Coalition Against Teacher Principal Salary Anomaly stated that if the Police continues to harass the protestors, legal action will be taken with regard to the relevant officers and their names will be taken to Courts. Joseph Starlin, the Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers Union speaking to media said that a number of discussions have already been conducted with trade unions of other sectors such as health, postal railway, port, petroleum and power, as well as public management, the public sector, the private sector and the semi-public sector. "We hope to unite all these struggles and make a united struggle because clearly the President and the Finance Minister are too busy to answer our struggles as they are ignoring our demands but have time to sign agreements about power pants late night, " Starlin stated. He added that the aim of the discussions with the other sectors is to unite all the members of the working class and to take their struggle forward.