Financial Times

Many Sri Lankan workers aware of end to MFA
The majority of Sri Lankan workers in the garments industry are aware of the end to textile quotas in December 2004 and, "trust their management to take measures that would take care of any job losses," a brief survey on the level of worker awareness on the MFA shows.

The survey follows a request from The Sunday Times FT to various organizations and unions representing garment workers for worker responses to the two questions - are you aware of the MFA and its phasing out and what are your views on job losses and other effects?

The National Workers Congress (NWC), which has a wide representation of workers in free trade zones, said they had obtained responses from 337 workers in 24 enterprises within the three economic zones - Katunayake, Biyagama and Koggala.

On the first question, the answers were: Yes-247 responses and No -- 90. On the second question, the majority of the workers said they trusted their managements to provide some protection against job losses.

The NWC, the ACFFTU - Migrant Associations and the Friendship House membership were made aware of these developments at regular Awareness Raising Campaigns held since mid 2003.

"In the past we have made submissions to EU through the World Confederation of Labour on behalf of Sri Lanka and are appreciative of the GSP audit undertaken by them to permit reduced tariffs on Sri Lankan exports to EU," the NWC said adding that, "we have always advocated, and for these purposes raised awareness on core ILO Standards, Human Rights standards and engaged in fruitful discussions with management and civil society."

The union said it would intensify "our Economic Literacy Campaign" and commence a social dialogue both at bipartite and tripartite levels to support strategies spelt out by the state and others to overcome the (December 2004) situation.

Back to Business