Lal Kantha, MP, says the planned strike will go ahead on 10 July

JVP trade union leader, Lal Kantha, MP, told BBC Sandeshaya that the president has failed to respond to their key demands for the state sector workers.

Mr. Lal Kantha is the leader of the National Trade Union Centre (NTUC), an umbrella organisation of several affiliate unions.

In a letter sent in May, the NTUC has demanded a salary increase of Rs. 5000 per month for state sector workers.

Island wide strike

Increasing the salaries of the estate workers, which is currently Rs. 290 a day, to Rs. 500 is among the other key demands by the NTUC.

The JVP has called an island wide strike on 10 July against the skyrocketing cost of living.

	JVP supports emergency regulations and supported Rajapaksa presidency

Instead of trying to answer the issues raised in the letter, MP Lal Kantha said, he has called a meeting of trade unionists to discuss ‘matters pertaining to trade unions and economy’.

“We will attend if he calls the meeting with a clear agenda to discuss particular issues raised in our letter,” he told BBCSinhala.com.

He accused Mr. Rajapaksa of convening a meeting with the farmers that support the president in which farmers have asked him to remove the subsidy for fertiliser.

Rajapaksa's political ally

The JVP supported Mahinda Rajapaksa at the presidential elections in November 2005.

The third largest political party in the parliament, it also votes for the extension on emergency regulations (ER).

We vote for the ER to support the war against the terrorists Lal Kantha, MP

Admitting that their party supporters are being assaulted by the security forces Mr. Lal Kantha said they would be assaulted irrespective of the existence of the ER.

“We vote for the ER to support the war against the terrorists,” he added.

The JVP also abstained from voting for the third reading President Rajapaksa’s budget proposals after voting against it at the second reading.

The main opposition, United National Party (UNP), accused the JVP of saving Rajapaksa government at a crucial moment by not voting against the budget.