Sept 05, Colombo: Sri Lanka Private Bus Owners' Association Chairman Gemunu Wijeratne says that around 1,000 private buses do not operate due to shortages of drivers and conductors.

He said that the employees of the private buses are leaving since they do not have job security. There are around 40,000 private bus workers in the island, the Association points out.

The private bus drivers and conductors work for daily wages and they do not have any kind of security system like Employees' Provident Fund.

The Chairman of the Private Bus Owners' Association urged the government to mediate to resolve the woes of the private bus employees.