News
Hard labour on Workers’ Day
View(s):May Day, the day internationally set apart to celebrate the working class worldwide, was postponed from May 1 to May 7 in Sri Lanka -on account of Vesak full moon day falling on May 1.
Story and pix by Amila Gamage and M.A.Pushpakumara.
Many political parties chose to hold May Day rallies on May 7 instead of May 1..
Many May Day rallies and meetings were held across the country -from Jaffna to the south and Colombo City to the East. Yet more rallies were organised in the hill country.
While many a political party in Sri Lanka organised their May Day rallies on May 7, for the most down trodden ordinary workers in the country, it was drudgery as usual.
Despite the Government declaring the private sector needed to give their workforce a paid holiday on May 7, many ordinary workers, especially from among the poorest and vulnerable segments of society,enjoyed no such benefit.
They were out on the streets, in the blazing heat, struggling to make ends meet.
Our cameramen captured scenes of these beasts of burden drawing heavy carts/and or carrying heavy loads on their backs.
The same scene was the same in most parts of the country… raising the question of whether May Day is a day for workers, or for the leadership of political parties who claim to represent them.
Unrepresented and unsung this old man continues to toil
Workers toil while politicians speak of worker rights
The 'Sadukin Pelena Un...' continue their sad existence
No red shirt for him... his not to reason why, just to toil and die
All workers are equal ?
Wearing the red shirt with pride, but its no paid holiday for these workers