Unions in Sri Lanka call for social dialogue on controversial bill19 June, 2024Amid Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis since 2022, the government has introduced an economic transformation bill to ‘foster economic growth’. However, the bill, which provides for a new mechanism with power to relax legal restrictions on privatizing public-owned companies and hand over public resources to investors, is expected to adversely impact more than twelve million people in the country and render the Department of Labour ineffective.
Union win in Sri Lanka5 March, 2024IndustriALL’s Sri Lankan affiliate, Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union (FTZ&GSEU), was victorious in the reinstatement of 18 suspended workers and a branch union registration at Texlan hosiery factory in Sri Lanka.
Garment workers in Sri Lanka attacked by employer 15 February, 2024On 9 February, management of Sumithra Group in Sri Lanka physically assaulted union members in the Hasalaka factory and forcefully prevented workers from attending a union meeting scheduled that day. According to the union, brands sourcing from the factory include ASDA, Superdry and Dillard’s.
Unions raise concerns over migrant workers in Israel30 January, 2024Trade unions in South Asia raised concerns over migration of precarious workers to Israel as the war in Palestine continues.
South Asian women unionists promote gender justice19 October, 2023As part of the South Asia Building Inclusive Unions project, IndustriALL has been organizing a series of workshops with women trade unionists in the region focused on advancing gender equality in workplaces and in unions.
Young leaders call for inclusive unions10 October, 2023As part of the Building Inclusive Unions project supported by Swedish affiliate, Union to Union, IndustriALL organised workshops for young unionists in Sri Lanka and Pakistan. While young leaders from Sri Lanka discussed Just Transition and role of trade unions. Discussions in Pakistan focused on gender-based violence and harassment.
Sri Lankan unions protest against government’s anti-worker decisions31 August, 2023Unions in Sri Lanka, including IndustriALL affiliates, organized a protest march in Colombo on 28 August to call out the government’s decision to restructure domestic debt using workers’ savings.
Sri Lanka: unions protest government’s debt restructuring and labour law changes25 July, 2023Despite heavy rains Sri Lankan unions held a protest in Colombo, on 25 July, against the proposed anti-worker labour law amendments and domestic debt restructuring plan which involves using the hard-earned provident fund amounts of workers and implementing anti-worker labour law amendments.
Bangladesh is one of the world’s worst countries for workers 5 July, 2023The recently published ITUC Global Rights Index 2023, which ranks countries based on the status of workers’ rights, reveals a grim picture of the situation for workers in South Asian countries. While Nepal and Sri Lanka witness regular and systematic violations of workers’ rights respectively, Bangladesh has been ranked as one of the worst countries in the world for workers.
Attack on trade union rights in Sri Lanka 31 May, 2023In another attempt to weaken trade union strength, the Sri Lankan government has arbitrarily removed four trade unions, including IndustriALL affiliates, from the reconstituted National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC).
