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Posted because of the Overseas Committee associated with 4th Overseas (ICFI)

Kahatagaha miners in Sri Lanka must fight for socialist policies

By Naveen Dewage
7 February 2020

Final thirty days, 130 employees during the state-owned Kahatagaha Graphite Lanka Limited (KGLL), hit for three times to need better pay and dealing conditions. They reluctantly decided to phone off the attack after a conversation using the industry ministry, labour division officials and business administration during the Kurunegala Labour workplace. State officials and also the business promised to handle employees’ demands within four weeks.

The walkout that is three-day hunger protest in the mine, that was held in defiance associated with mine unions’ leadership, had been the very first commercial action this current year since President Gotabhaya Rajapakse stumbled on energy. It had been a clear indication associated with nature associated with the battles in the future, the increasing radicalisation associated with the working course, while the fast split up of illusions when you look at the brand new federal government.

The 2 unions during the mine are regional branches of this Nidahas Sevaka Sangamaya, which can be affiliated towards the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) this is certainly now supporting the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), together with Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya, a United nationwide Party (UNP) union.

KGLL workers complain that the senior leaders of those unions ignore their needs. These unions, in reality, are notorious for opposing employees’ demands and acting as strikebreakers. As the mine workers have formerly taken action over their harsh working conditions and required better pay, they’ve been methodically dodged by the governments that are successive the help of the unions.

If the Sri Lankan federal government reopened the Kahatagaha graphite mine in 2006, after its closing by way of a company that is private formerly managed it, workers were compelled to signal an understanding which they wouldn’t normally form trade unions. Presently the employees are compensated a meagre day-to-day danger allowance of simply 20 rupees (US 11 cents) to exert effort 600 metres underneath the ground in Sri Lanka’s largest and mine that is deepest.

In 2016, KGLL employees demanded a 400-rupee day-to-day danger allowance. This is refused by handling of the state-owned business, which introduced a 400- rupee day-to-day motivation allowance but as long as workers collectively accomplished a monthly manufacturing target of 70 metric tonnes.

During last month’s attack, the federal government officials promised that the mine workers’ demands—which included wage increments, reduced amount of Saturday working hours, 21-days leave per 12 months and appropriate repayment of all other allowances—would be addressed by February 28. Until then, the employees received a pittance increment of 50 rupees each and every day, being a “temporary” solution.

The 50-rupee “temporary” solution is definitely an insult to your KGLL employees that have maybe perhaps not gotten a wage enhance since 2012 and would include just 1,200 rupees for their monthly income.

The workers restricted claims and their three-day attack and hunger protest delivered a surprise revolution through the federal government. Industry and Logistics Management Minister Wimal Weerawansa ominously told employees not to ever cause inconvenience that is“any to your federal government. The ministry additionally imposed a news blackout, afraid that the attack might encourage other chapters of the working course to act over their long-outstanding needs.

Among the KGLL workers’ main demands is the fact that they be brought underneath the Office and stores Act, as opposed to the current Wage Board Ordinance which presently determines their wages. This useless workout, which seeks an answer through the present capitalist labour regulations, will perhaps not win the mine employees’ fight for decent wages, working hours and conditions.

When you look at the last analysis, whichever labour law is employed, the settlement will undoubtedly be according to an understanding involving the trade unions, that do not express the employees, and mine management. Furthermore, this new Rajapakse federal government, like https://quickinstallmentloans.com its predecessor, desires to impose brand brand brand new labour laws and regulations, claiming that the prevailing plans are hampering investment that is foreign.

While slashing business fees to attract investors, Rajapakse has promised the plantation workers a 1,000-rupee day-to-day wage and told students which he will deal with all their welfare dilemmas. These “promises” are bogus and geared towards hoodwinking the populace when you look at the lead as much as an early on election that is general.

The Rajapakse regime confronts a major financial crisis—the product of the global economic downturn—and massive repayments on foreign and domestic loans under conditions of declining economic growth.

On top of that, the Overseas Monetary Fund (IMF) is demanding that the financial deficit be paid off to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic item, this means slashing subsidies, increasing the cost of essentials, plus the privatisation or commercialisation of state-owned corporations and divisions.

President Rajapakse recently reactivated the Strategic developing venture Act, first introduced by his bro and former President Mahinda Rajapakse. Under this act, international investors get income tax breaks as high as 25 years along with other incentives that are profit-boosting.

Sri Lanka has some for the world’s purest graphite therefore the federal federal federal government is particularly focusing on the graphite industry for international investment.

A public company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, with the blessing of the government, began mining and exploration operations at Karasnagala in Sri Lanka’s Gampaha District on December 13, the Ceylon Graphite Corp. It would like to expand how many mines it presently runs in Sri Lanka from 3 to 5 this present year.

Other operators are the Bora that is australia-based Bora business additionally the privatised Bogala Graphite Lanka, that will be a subsidiary of Germany’s Graphite Kropfmuhl GmbH which includes other mining operations in Africa and Asia.

The government’s drive to attract more investors that are foreign see further moves to privatise KGLL. There is an effort to privatise the ongoing business in 2016.

The IMF need for more privatisation or commercialisation of state-owned enterprises is always to increase productivity, slash jobs and drive up earnings.

President Rajapakse happens to be being promoted by their henchmen that are political the organization news additionally the pseudo-left as being unlike some other Sri Lanka president. He’s, they claim, some body available to dialogue with protesting employees and pupils. That is a fraudulence.

Rajapakse’s feigned concern is a hopeless and short-term manoeuvre to stop the eruption of the mass movement over jobs, residing costs as well as other basic liberties, that could jeopardize not only their presidency but capitalist guideline in general. Employee unrest in the graphite mining, a market Colombo desires to start as much as increased foreign investor, needs to be prevented without exceptions.

Rajapakse, in reality, is collecting their forces when preparing to crush the increasing opposition that is social of, youth together with rural bad. This is the reason he has promoted extreme-right elements and army males in to the key federal government jobs. Rajapakse’s ultimate aim is to possess constitution amended so he is able to establish an authoritarian regime sustained by the armed forces.

Rajapakse’s battle when it comes to presidency ended up being supported by Sri Lanka’s ruling elite have been afraid of, and determined to crush, the strikes and mass working course opposition that threw the Sirisena-Wickremasinghe federal federal federal government additionally the entire capitalist guideline into an emergency.

As President Rajapakse declared during his trip to Asia year that is last “For a nation to be governed successfully, you’ll need stability. … Without security, investors won’t come. ”

The Kahatagaha graphite miners—like other employees coming forward to guard their social rights—confront not only mine administration but Colombo’s pro-investor policies, IMF-dictated austerity, the drive towards an authoritarian regime and, above all, the outmoded profit system. Workers cannot defend their jobs, enhance their conditions that are social protect their fundamental rights without challenging capitalism.

To be able to move forward workers need a brand new governmental strategy. Distribution and production must certanly be reorganised to profit nearly all culture, maybe perhaps not the rich few. This might simply be achieved through the nationalisation associated with the major industries and enterprises—the large estates, the mining corporations, therefore the banking institutions—under the democratic control over the class that is working. This program that is socialist simply be implemented by bringing to energy a workers’ and peasants’ federal federal government within the battle for international socialism.

Like in other workplaces, the experiences of this Kahatagaha miners graphically indicate that the trade unions have grown to be tools regarding the state and companies.

Miners along with other employees must build action committees independently of this unions and simply simply simply take all decision-making to their own arms. Because they build these committees workers can unite with wider parts of the working class in Sri Lanka and internationally. Sri Lankan mine workers happen to be element of international class brothers exploited by exact exact same corporations that are global.

The Socialist Equality Party urges the Kahatagaha mine employees to use up this governmental challenge.

The writer additionally advises:

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