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Sri Lanka military to stand in for striking workers

COLOMBO, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government will be forced to deploy the military to carry out functions in the health sector with trade unions giving notice of an island wide two-day work stoppage next week.

Athula Kahandaliyanage, the secretary to the health ministry said here Sunday that the military would be entrusted with the task of functions in some 14 hospitals and three health sector institutions on Dec. 4 and Dec. 5 when the workers will stop work.

The talks with the military in this regard have already been concluded, Kahandaliyanage said.

The General Secretary of the Health Services Trade Union Alliance Ravi Kumudesh said the workers will protest the government rule to make finger printing compulsory to mark attendance by the workers and other issues such as salary anomalies in the sector.

Health Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva said the move to introduce fingerprints was a government decision that would be introduced in all areas of the state soon.

De Silva said the health worker demand to revoke the decision would not be possible.