Prime Minister’s Media Division

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena requested the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to assist the government’s initiative to introduce a dispute prevention and resolution mechanism to public service. He made this request when ILO Country Director Joni Simpson called on the Prime Minister at the Temple Trees today (Feb 1) together with United Nations Resident Coordinator Marc-André Franche.

The delegation thanked the Prime Minister for the initiative taken in this regard and for obtaining the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers for the proposal. They assured the prime minister fullest support to implement the proposed mechanism this would not only result in resolving disputes but also prevent disputes in future through a system of tripartite dialogue.

Prime Minister briefed them on the impact of the Covid pandemic and economic crisis on the labour workforce and the short-term and long-term steps taken by the government to recover the economy and to help the workers, especially the low-income labour force.

Prime Minister Gunawardena stressed that the government was very keen to make the labour workforce upwardly mobile and explained the multitude of training programmes launched for skill development. Increasing the quality and quantity of jobs is the surest way of moving people out of poverty, he said.

He said Sri Lanka has implanted the ILO regulations on the labour workforce and provided opportunities for men and women to obtain productive work, in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity.

The ILO delegation assured the fullest support to all the efforts taken by the government for the well-being of the labour and measures for upgrading the skills of the workforce.

Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake and UN Country Office Analyst Nethmini Madawala also took part in the discussion.