Article
Sri Lanka: Workers at 35 factories face unpaid wages, forced resignations & wage deductions during COVID-19
... According to reports from the CCC network, Sri Lankan trade unions have sent a letter to the Commissioner General of Labour exposing problems - such as unpaid wages, forced resignations and deducted salaries - faced by employees from 35 companies - many of whom are garment factories - in the context of the coronavirus crisis. The companies and respective problems are as follows:
- Chiefway Katunayaka Pvt. Ltd.: 150 workers have been forced to sign resignation letters and some employees have not been paid salaries for April;
- White International Pvt. Ltd.: Workers' salaries for the month of March have been paid with a 8 ½ day’s pay deduction and April wages have not been paid at all;
- Hidramani Pvt Ltd.: Although the factory has reopened, workers who are over 50 years old and employees with less than one year of service have not been called for work with no explanation;
- Smart Shirt Pvt. Ltd.: 2500 employees of have only been paid Rs.10,000 for April and have been informed not to report for work until further notice;
- Screen Line Pvt Ltd.: Workers have not received April wages and 65 employees have been removed from service;
- Star Garment Pvt Ltd.: Workers' bonuses for Sinhala and Hindu New Year in April 2020 have not been paid and some employees have been dismissed;
- Nysco Lanka Pvt Ltd.: April wages have not been paid;
- Noratel International Pvt. Ltd.: April wages have not been paid and, in March, workers were deployed on a daily basis and paid based on the number of days of work;
- Eligant Apparel Pvt. Ltd.: April wages have not been paid and workers only received 40% of their March salary. 600 employees have not yet been called for work;
- Isin Lanka Pvt. Ltd.: March and April wages have not been paid;
- Leisure line Pvt. Ltd.: A fraction of Employees have been removed from service;
- EL Steel Pvt Ltd.: Three office bearers of the Union have not been called for work;
- Sky Way Sea Foods Pvt. Ltd.: 40 employees have been removed from service and the rest of the employees have been forced to resign from service voluntarily on compensation basis;
- Jinasena Pvt. Ltd.: Three office bearers of the Union have not been called for work;
- Esquel Sri Lanka Ltd.: About 1000 employees of Yakkala, Ekala & Kegalle branches of this Company have been removed from service and 300 workers have been forced to resign;
- United Tractor Equipment Pvt. Ltd.: Workers' salaries have been reduced by 5% to 10%.
- Star Garments Pvt. Ltd.: Workers have been informed that they will only be paid 50% of their salaries;
- Trend Setters Pvt Ltd.: April wages have not been paid and workers only received 35% of their March salary;
- WISEscape Hotel: Workers have not been paid March salaries;
- Brandix Pvt. Ltd.: Workers have been told to go on the company's website twice a week in order to be paid the minimum salary. Accordingly, workers who do not have Smart phones will be deprived of their salaries;
- Nimali Garments Pvt. Ltd.: Workers have not been paid or called for work since April;
- Keselwatta Metal Industries Pvt. Ltd.: 20 workers have been removed from service;
- Keselwatta Agencies Pvt. Ltd.: April wages have not been paid;
- Patpasleen Pvt. Ltd.: April wages have not been paid and some workers have been asked to do overtime without any additional payment;
- J.J. Garments Pvt. Ltd.: Only Rs. 8000 have been paid for April and over 100 workers have been removed from service;
- G.V.P Lanka Pvt. Ltd.: Workers have not been paid or called for work for April;
- Blackhoth Security Syndicate Pvt. Ltd.: April wages have not been paid;
- Paradise Gaments Pvt. Ltd.: April wages have not been paid and only some workers have been called for work;
- Coca Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd.: Workers have been deprived of the privileges they enjoyed prior to the coronavirus crisis;
- Stretchline Pvt. Ltd.: Around 600 workers will be removed on the basis of voluntary resignation upon receiving compensation;
- N.C. Fashion: Some workers have not been paid salary for April or been called for work;
- Sherton Turtle Beach Hotel: 70% of the workers have been paid 30% of the April;
- A.B. Securydal Pvt. Ltd.: April wages have been paid with deduction;
- Regal Calibre L.K Ltd.: April wages have not been paid and garment workers have not been called back to work;
- Specialist Construction Chemicals Pvt. Ltd.: April wages have not been paid...