CEB employees launch ‘sick note’ campaign, pay rise to cost govt. an additional Rs. 9bn

By Ifham Nizam

Notwithstanding the economic crisis triggered largely by the Covid-19 pandemic, the government is expected to grant a 25 per cent salary increase to the 28,000 workforce of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), which will cost the Treasury an additional Rs. 9 billion annually, official sources said.

As a protest against the delay in granting the salary increment due in January 2021, around 90 per cent of CEB workers launched a ‘sick note’ campaign on Thursday.

“Despite the cash crunch, the workers’ demand for a pay rise will have to be granted though the additional financial burden is unbearable”, the sources said.

The Sunday Island learns that Minister of Power Dullas Alahapperuma will submit a cabinet paper on Monday to secure the Rs. 9 billion required annually to meet the additional financial commitment.

Petroleum and Water Board employees were earlier given a 25 per cent salary increase. However, CEB employees had demanded a 36 per cent rise, which works out to more than Rs. 12 billion annually,” a top official said.

CEB Employees’ Union General Secretary Ranjan Jayalal said that Thursday’s ‘sick note’ campaign was launched to draw the attention of the management to the delay in granting the pay hike due in January this year.

He said that CEB employees receive salary increments every three years. The last was in 2018, but what was due in January 2021 did not happen.

“We were patient because of the prevailing Covid-19 situation. Though we submitted our proposals before the due date, there was no response. There are no politics involved here. We are protesting against the injustice done to the employees,” he said.

CEB Chairman Eng. Vijitha Herath said a Collective Agreement has been signed to raise the salaries of employees by 25 percent.

The proposal for a pay rise will be submitted to the cabinet for approval, he added.