The Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya (JSS), a trade union affiliated to the United National Party (UNP) has threatened union action if salaries of employees attached to the electricity, water and petroleum sectors in the country are not raised. Head of the JSS, UNP MP Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena says the union would be compelled to resort to trade union action if the government fails to grant a 45% salary increase in January to the workers engaged in the three sectors. He said the salary increase should be made as the scheduled increment in their salaries every three years. The MP noted that the 2012 budget has not offered any relief to the working masses in the country. According to Dr. Jayawardena, the working people in the country needed to join forces to agitate for a rightful salary increase. He also observed that the government was trying to re-introduce the controversial private sector pension scheme through an amendment to the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) Act.
