Railway trade unions have announced that their 48-hour warning strike will begin at midnight today, citing unresolved administrative issues within the Railway Department.
Station Masters’ Union Secretary Sumedha Somaratne said several long-distance train services had already been cancelled by the Department of Railways, disrupting services ahead of the official strike window, including the night mail train and evening express services to Batticaloa and Trincomalee.
He said some other services had also been terminated before reaching their destinations, leaving passengers stranded.
Locomotive Officers’ Association Secretary S.R.C.M. Senanayake said they had given the required 14-day notice of the industrial action but claimed that authorities and the relevant ministers had failed to provide solutions to their concerns.
He raised concerns regarding the leadership of the General Manager of Railways and said the number of daily train operations had dropped from around 450 to 184, according to union figures.
He also raised concerns over alleged financial irregularities relating to the issuance of season tickets.
The unions warned that commuters would face further disruption over the next 48 hours unless immediate measures are taken to address their concerns. (Newswire)
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