The Sri Lanka Railway Stations Masters Union is poised to commence several trade union actions from this evening (14  June).

They are protesting against recruitment issues, among others.

Among the trade union action planned, the decision to not issue tickets this evening has been trending.

This would mean passengers will be able to travel without tickets, the railway department would incur a loss of revenue, as well as a disruption would occur in accepting parcels and delivering them.

The Union’s chairman Sumedha Somarathna said that management of the railway and its staff, acceptance and distribution of parcels, issuing tickets and providing revenue reports to the Railway department are among their duties.

He added that a final decision on their trade union action would be taken this evening.

The Union’s general secretary Sanjaya Jayasundera said that they have requested a written answer to their grievances by 2 pm today.

Though the locomotive operators, controllers, station masters and operation managers belong to the same cadre, a special cabinet paper has been approved to promote the locomotive operators, controllers and operation managers every five years. The station masters request they too be granted the same frequency of promotions, adding that at present it is every 10 years and that it is unfair to them.

He further stated that there are 1372 posts of railway masters and yet, only 900 are filled at present; the number could decline further in the next two years and the Union wants the vacancies filled as soon as possible.