Deputy Minister of Labour Mahinda Jayasinghe has assured Employees’ Trust Fund (ETF) staff that immediate steps will be taken to resolve salary-related grievances, following urgent discussions with trade union representatives.
The assurance came after tensions escalated on Thursday evening, when ETF employees staged a protest outside the Fund’s headquarters, condemning alleged salary cuts and discrepancies in payments. Protesters accused ETF Chairman Somasiri Ekanayake of authorising reductions in basic salaries, with some employees reportedly facing cuts as steep as 30 percent.
Trade union members said that certain staff had not received the recent public sector salary increments, while others experienced unexplained deductions. These issues were presented during a meeting between the Deputy Minister and ETF trade union members, during which the extent of the discrepancies came to light.
In response to the protest and union concerns, Deputy Minister Jayasinghe contacted Chairman Ekanayake and the Department of Management Services to seek immediate clarifications and expedite a resolution.
Following these consultations, he assured the protesting employees that urgent measures would be taken to rectify the situation and ensure fair and consistent wage practices within the ETF.
The Ministry of Labour is expected to announce concrete steps in the coming days as discussions with relevant departments and officials continue.
