Aug 07, Colombo: A private sector trade union affiliated with Sri Lanka Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has commenced a programme to gather views to prepare a proposal on a pension scheme for the private sector.

The Inter Company Employees Union (ICEU) says that the private sector is in need of a proper pension plan and it will hand over the proposed pension scheme to the government.

The union has called on trade unions and private sector employees to submit their views and proposals on a private sector pension scheme to the union.

ICEU Organizer, B.I. Abdeen says that the views expressed by the unions and the working masses would be forwarded to a committee of intellectuals to prepare a set of proposals to be submitted to the government.

The ICEU would gather views and proposals till the 20th of this month.

ICEU Head Wasantha Samarasinghe said that the private sector workers have not rejected a pension plan, but opposed a plan proposed by the government to pilfer into the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) and Employees' Trust Fund (ETF) monies.

"The government needs to implement a proper pension plan for the private sector and the ICEU has taken the initiative in gathering views and proposals for the purpose," he noted.