Belgian strike THE Belgian centre-left WaN grip oI a near-general strike last week as nearly one million public sector workers took action. The WORKONS OHI Wednesday on a one-day oralist government cuts wages, benefits, and pensions to when he eventually kicks the Communists out of the government.
'economic, cultural and commercial solidarity with Nicaragua. Foreign minister Cheyson, however. stressec Nicaragua's continued commitment to 'political pluralism a mixed (read capitalism) would greatly help its case.
balance its 1984-5 budget. However, workers, including dockers, transport workers, Tenne civil servants came out.
ordered back to work by Koval Decree last saturday. STATE INSTIGATED racial violence in Sri Lanka has destroyed Tamil owned property and industry to the value of 300 million dollars. Seventeen of the largest factories affected were involved in the production of textiles and garments ready made for export. 80 per cent of the workers in these factories were women, often the sole wage earners of large families.
The only options the government is now offering them is re-employment factories weaving mills situated between lo and ou mies Irom their homes and employpermanent night shifts. They will be paid prospective employers will not be liable to contribute to Employees Provident Funds Officially, night work for women is illegal in Sri Lanka. The Internanonal Labour urnice convention No.89, pronight work for women was signed, but as various eport indicate, lot ratified in 1982 Our Sri Lankan correspondent The suggestion that the ban would be lifted in 1982 with widespread opposition women WULAID the movement and the trade movement 1n Sri The government, taking advantage of the present crisis, is now forc ing women to accept work on the night shift. For lack of an alternative through sheer economic necessity many will be forced to auccol Many women felt the ban on night work for them was a right women and should be extended to men as well Apart from the enhanced exploitation, injury to health disruptive of night work on social life, there is no guarantee that women returning to crowded and noisy boarfamilies will be able to ge ding houses large sufficient rest. It will only mean that the burden housework will have to be assumed sooner than later in the day.
Night work will also mean that women travelling long distances using transport facilities and ill-lit streets will be easy prey to all forms of sexual harassent and intimidation.
Women workers in Sri Lanka have fought before under repressive 'emergenconditions, llav brutal police attack, have been arrested and remanded, and they are fighting again.
Burdens The current deep going economic crisis the country will no doubt visit its worst burdens on the women of Sri Lanka. This together with the naked repression unleashed upon the Tamil speaking people, the lami aberation strug gle and the working class by the 'constitutional' dictatorship of the Jayawardene regime, demands the commencement of an international campaign of protest now!
The womens liberatior movement of Sri Lanka calls upon you to campaign on our government incorporating the following demands: 1. That all workers displaced by the recent violence be adequately reemployed not be discriminated against with regard to employment or wages or 2. be paid a monthly wage until adequate employment is tound. and 3. that women workers are not forced to work either a temporary or a permanent night shift.
Please address letters of protest to:
The President of Sr Presidents House, Colombo 1, Sri Lanka.
The Minister of Labour, Labour Ministry Narahenpita, Colombo 5
Socialist Action 23 September 1983