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CEB contract workers’ protest outside Ministry goes into National New Year
Workers have already spent 11 days protesting in front of the Power and Energy Ministry in Colombo
Over 300 Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) contract basis workers serving as billing officers are planning to spend the Sinhala and Tamil New Year in front of the Power and Renewable Energy Ministry premises next week.
The workers have already spent 11 days in a protest in front to the ministry premises but no solution has been provided by the Government to their outstanding issues, the convener of the Billing Officers’ Union W.M Chathura Viraj told the Sunday Times.
Their main demand has been to absorb nearly 1,400 workers to the permanent staff of the CEB in keeping with the pledge made at the Presidential and Parliamentary elections as well as in the Budget.
He told the Sunday Times that the Minister had been requested in writing to make them permanent but they were only called for meetings and promised that their demands will be met.
Mr. Viraj explained that some of the manpower contract basis employees with lesser qualifications have been employed as field assistants but qualified officers who had over 10 years experience were paid only according to work done.
He said the workers would not leave the premises until they were given a written assurance that they will be made permanent billing officers.
“About 1,400 manpower workers who are also engaged in billing also report on illegal use of power and do office work as permanent workers but even uniforms are not provided to us,” he said.
He said the workers had planned to spend the New Year in front of the ministry premises because they did not have peace of mind to go to their homes empty handed.
S.Xavier, another employee, who works in Kuliyapitiya, said he had to walk to 150 places a day to meet the target of reading meters in over 3,000 houses within 25 days. 
He too said some houses were right at the end of lanes which extended over several kilometres. Therefore he was forced to either walk or use his own motor cycle as no vehicle was provided.
“ I walk several miles, but if I meet an accident on the road, I will not be given financial aid or any support claiming that I have no connection with the Ceylon Electricity Board,” he said.
Mr. Xavier said that some householders did not allow contract basis billing officers to read their meters claiming they wore no uniforms and had no proof of identity.
Sumedha Rajapaksa, another meter reader, also claimed that he had not seen his family members for 11 days and would probably see them on the New Year on the pavement.
“We sleep on the pavement, get wet in the rain and get bitten by mosquitoes but neither the authorities nor the Minister feel our pain. We don’t need an increase in pay, we only want to be permanent employees,” he said.
Asela Dhamika who worked for the CEB for 11 years said he was bitten seven times by dogs when he was billing at houses but was not provided money for medication due to his non-permanent status.
He said he was forced to engage in billing even though he was injured due to the fact that if he did not work he would not be paid.
However Power and Renewable Energy Deputy Minister Ajith Perera said earlier 2,400 temporary employees were made permanent, but unfortunately the same status cannot be given to the protesters due to the fact that some were lacking basic educational qualifications.
He said only the qualified men in the group will be provided permanent jobs.
“ Correctly or incorrectly 10 years ago these manpower workers who lacked qualifications were employed as meter readers, but though they have experience they cannot be given permanent jobs,” he said
Mr. Perera claimed that the protesters are being mislead by anti -government trade unions.
The heat proves too much for these protestors. Pix by Anuradha Bandara