The new Sri Lankan Government has agreed to enhance wages of the Private Sector workers by around US$18, equaling a raise of between 15 and 35 per cent. This sets the minimum wage for private sector workers at US$74 per month.
Meanwhile, state sector employees have seen their wages revised by US$74, resulting in a minimum wage of around US$223, including allowances and benefits.
IndustriALL Sri Lanka Council and affiliates have been fighting for an increased minimum wage in the private sector for a few years, and played a major role in this latest success.
Leslie Devendra, of the IndustriALL Sri Lanka Council and president of Sri Lanka’s largest trade union SLNSS, says on the wage hike:
The increase is a welcome step in reducing the huge gap between the Private Sector employees and State Sector employees, but there is more work to be done.