* Sri Lanka's private sector to get a pay hike
Sat, Mar 20, 2010, 09:55 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Mar 20, Colombo: Sri Lankan government says it is holding discussions with the salary commission to provide a 15 -20 percent salary increase to the private sector employees.

The pay hike would benefit around 500,000 employees of the private sector which received a substantial pay hike in 2008.

Commissioner General of Labour, W.J.L.U Wijayaweera says the discussions are underway with salary commission regarding the salary increase. The government has called 36 salary Wages Boards to discuss the issue and about half of them have agreed to a salary increase between 15 to 20 percent.

The salary structure in the private sector is determined by tripartite Wages Boards comprising the government, employers, and worker representatives.

A final decision on the private sector salary hike will be taken before the end of next month after consultations with the remaining salaries commissions, Wijayaweera said.

The Commissioner General said an agreement among the employers and employees as well as trade unions must be reached for the proposed salary increase.

The government hopes to increase private sector salaries by the 1st of May. The government increased the public sector salaries effective from January this year.