News

The meeting of the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC), with special attention given to challenges faced by trade unions, was held yesterday (07) afternoon at the Labour Secretariat Auditorium, Narahenpita, under the chairmanship of Hon. Dr. Anil Jayantha Prananthu, Minister of Labour, and Hon. Mahinda Jayasinghe, Deputy Minister of Labour.

Discussions centered on issues related to compliance with the conditions of collective agreements signed under the Industrial Disputes Act, as well as matters concerning the recognition of trade unions for collective bargaining in institutions where employee membership exceeds 40 percent. It was agreed that such issues should be resolved through dialogue with the Employers’ Federation when they arise.

The meeting also included a presentation on the Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) for Sri Lanka covering the period 2026–2032.

Attention was drawn to the complaint submitted to the International Labour Organization (ILO) under Article 24 of its Constitution, regarding the non-implementation of Convention No. 144 on Tripartite Consultation. Several trade unions had lodged this complaint with the ILO in 2023, and since 2025, the NLAC has been meeting regularly to discuss the matters raised. Although it was initially considered unnecessary to pursue further action, some trade unions later informed the ILO of their wish to keep the matter open. As the issues were not resolved within the timeframe provided by the ILO, a tripartite committee has now been established to review the complaint, and this was also discussed at the meeting.

The Council further focused on the implementation of institutional consolidation within state enterprises, with a decision taken to continue discussions on this matter.

The meeting was attended by Mr. S. M. Piyatissa, Secretary to the Ministry of Labour, Mrs. Nadeeka Wataliyadda, Commissioner General of Labour, along with representatives of both employers and employees serving on the National Labour Advisory Council.