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Municipal lab employees go to HRC over payment issue
View(s):Colombo Municipal Council’s Microbiology and City Analyst Laboratory employees, including technicians, have complained to the Human Rights Commission (HRC), saying a special payment made to them in lieu of private tests conducted at the lab has been stopped.“Private investigation on food and water and food handlers’ sample tests (urine and stool) have been carried out in the laboratory since 1984 and of the total earnings, the Council allocated 35 per cent for employees,” a laboratory employee said.
He said this payment, approved by the Western Province Governor in 2007, had been made to the employees until it was suspended in 2003 owing to an inquiry ordered by the Municipal Commissioner Bhadrani Jayawardena following two petitions. Although the Finance Committee and the Council once again approved payments in December after the completion of the inquiry, the employee said they had not been paid.
He said they were told that the matter had been referred to the Western Provincial Council. “We do not even have a risk allowance despite working with germs, chemicals, human stools and urine and sometimes work till 10.00 p.m. We have not been paid for about 10 months. The Commissioner and the Municipal Secretary have been postponing this issue while we continue to work,” he said.
Laboratory service is among the public services offered by the Public Health Department of the Colombo Municipal Council. There are 12 laboratory technicians attached to the laboratory. The Commissioner was out of the country and was not available for comment.