Trade unions affiliated to Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna said the government offered to increase wages by 22 percent effective from November, 2009 after a meeting between unions and secretary to the treasury P B Jayasundara.
But the joint trade unions, rejecting the offer, have demanded for a higher pay hike effective from January 2009, with a salary increase every three years, joint CPC trade union chairman, A L Ananda told our sister website, Vimasuma.com.
The union action has raised fears fuel, electricity and water supplies could get disrupted as well as work at Colombo port.
Long queues were seen outside fuel stations from Tuesday morning as panicky motorist came to top up their tanks expecting negotiations between the government and trade unions to fail.
Petroleum