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Workers must not be taxed to compensate for loss of state revenue due to mismanagement – trade union collective
Opposition to the proposed surcharge tax of 25 percent on workers’ social security and welfare funds is growing with a collective of trade unions representing several sectors alleging that workers are not taxed in any decent society to compensate for the loss of government revenue due to financial mismanagement and lack of clear economic policy.
Anton Marcus, Joint Secretary, Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union has issued the following statement on behalf of Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees’ Union (FTZ & GSEU), Sri Lanka Nidahas Sevaka Sangamaya (SLNSS), Ceylon Mercantile and Industrial Workers’ Union (CMU), Ceylon Federation of Trade Union (CFTU), Intercompany Employees’ Union (IEU), Ceylon Bank Employees Union (CBEU), Lanka Jathika Estate Workers Union (LJEWU), National Union of Sri Lankan Seafarers (NUSS), Jathika Seva Sangamaya (JSS), Ceylon Estate Staff Union (CESU), United Federation of Labour (UFL), and the Joint Plantation Trade Union Centre (JPTUC): The Government’s decision by way of a gazette notification issued on 07 February 2022 for a bill to be presented in pPrliament to levy a “one-time” Surcharge Tax of 25 per ent on the gross income of over Rs.02 billion during the revenue year 2020 April 01 to 2021 March 31, will include both the “Employees’ Provident Fund” (EPF) and the “Employees’ Trust Fund” (ETF) as provided for under “Division III: Trusts and Unit Trusts” of the Inland Revenue Act, No. 24 of 2017.
This we say is both immoral and unethical as social security and welfare funds of employees and also the poor are never taxed in any decent society to compensate for the loss of revenue for the State due to financial mismanagement and lack of clear economic policy.
It is calculated the EPF alone would be taxed around Rs.62 billion once again on its already taxed income for the revenue year 2020-2021 that concluded almost a year ago. This massive amount of money that could be taxed from the EPF alone, with more tax from the ETF too is money that should be divided among 2.9 million employees who are active contributing members of the EPF and 19.4 million members in all.
We wish to note, the previous government too imposed a one-time tax levy on the EPF in 2016 that was promised as never to be repeated. Sadly, it is coming back again as another “one time only” Surcharge Tax that now becomes a precedent for all governments in the future for “easy revenue”.
EPF is a social security and welfare fund for private and semi-State sector employees with no monthly retirement salary to tide over their last years out of employment. This fund needs to be further strengthened for the private sector and semi-State sector employees with health benefits and other emergency welfare services. It is disgusting therefore to have governments compensating their inability to manage national finances efficiently, squeezing off large chunks of money from employee benefits, instead.
As a collective of trade unions in the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC), we wish to demand from this government to immediately withdraw all provisions in the proposed bill gazetted on 07 February (2022) in levying any tax by any name, from employee social security and welfare funds, be it the EPF, ETF or any other and request the government to seek more progressive measures in collecting required revenue for the State.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
