COLOMBO, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of commuters were stranded in Sri Lanka for a second day in a row as railway operators continued their strike here on Tuesday despite efforts by the government to entice them into discussions.
All trains including those carrying fuel to the airport and distributing mail around the country were suspended as railway workers launched a 48-hour strike to pressure the government into giving better pay.
On Monday Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga called on the unions to end their strike and come for talks but this request was rejected as protestors demanded a condition-free discussion.
Professional Trade Union Alliance (PTUA) Convenor Janaka Fernando told Xinhua that they had been repeatedly discussing the salary issue with Transport Minister Kumara Welgama for one year and three months.
"We were forced to strike because there was no response from the government. Railway is an essential service and therefore the salary increase that we are asking for is reasonable," he insisted.
If the demands are not met, the unions plan to extend the strike indefinitely.
More trouble is brewing in the transport sector as private busses, which are legally allowed to raise fares from July, have been prevented from doing so by the government.
The Private Bus Owners Association (PBOA) Chairman Gemunu Wijeyratne has gone on record threatening a bus strike, which would bring the whole country to a halt.
At present around 6 percent of commuters use the railway while as much as 65 percent use the bus services on a daily basis in Sri Lanka.
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