The half-dressed postal employee who spoke to the media yesterday on the ongoing postal strike is a former Chairman of the Lunugamvehera Provincial Council, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa informed Parliament today.
Addressing the Parliament, Minister Jayatissa clarified that the government provides postal employees with their uniform, socks, and shoes.
“We provide them with the uniform, socks, and shoes and also provide an allowance to sew the uniform. But, now they are requesting that the uniform not be provided and for the allowance to be given to their hands,” he said.
Minister Nalinda Jayatissa further said that a group of trade unions at the Central Mail Exchange have launched a strike against fingerprint recording and is calling for an increase in overtime payments.
“In order for the overtime to be calculated, we need a fingerprint recording. A group of postal employees are already using the fingerprint system. Why can’t those at the Central Mail Exchange also do so?” he questioned.
Minister Nalinda Jayatissa added that the government will implement the fingerprint system at the Central Mail Exchange.
Pointing out that 17 out of the 19 demands of postal employees have been resolved and are currently being implemented, the minister said that the issue now is over fingerprint recording and overtime payments.
Stating that the government will not back down over this matter, Minister Jayatissa said that a discussion will be granted if the postal employees agree to the fingerprint and overtime proposals. (Newswire)
"The pants, shirt, shoes and socks are provided by the government," Minister Nalinda Jayatissa responds to claims that a list of postal workers' demands were reduced to fingerprinting and overtime allowances. He alleged the strike was politically motivated and said the government… pic.twitter.com/lbLMHtRlRn
— NewsWire 🇱🇰 (@NewsWireLK) August 21, 2025