The Cabinet of Ministers has approved President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s proposal to grant a special pay increment to non-executive government officials who reported for duty on July 8 and 9, 2024, according to the President’s Media Division (PMD).
In addition to the pay increment, approval has also been granted to issue these officials a commendation certificate for future promotions, as per the PMD.
Over 200 public sector trade unions affiliated with the State and Provincial Public Service Unions Collective initiated a trade union action, reporting ‘sick leave’ on July 8 and 9, to demand an allowance of Rs. 25,000 for all public sector employees, similar to the allowance given to executive officers.
As a result, government officials across several sectors did not show up for work, leading to significant disruptions in the daily operations of institutions such as the Department of Registration of Persons and the Immigration Department.