All Ceylon United Motor Workers' Union
Encyclopedia
The All Ceylon United Motor Workers Union is a trade union
which organises workers in the passenger bus sector in Sri Lanka
. It is affiliated to the Ceylon Federation of Labour
(CFL).
transport first began in Sri Lanka as an owner-operated service. There was no regulation, so when more than one bus operated on a single route there was a scramble for the load, which might end in fisticuffs or even stabbings. The setting up of the limited liability
omnibus companies by the British
around 1940 was the first meaningful step to regularise public passenger transport in this country. The employees were treated abominably: one owner allegedly tied a bus conductor to a tree and spanked the poor man for failing to bring in the targeted collection for the day.
Trade union work was an uphill task and members of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party
(LSSP) had to proceed in secret, disguising themselves to avoid company thugs. J. Wanigatunga was one of the union agents so deployed.
In February 1936 the LSSP was able to take leadership in a spontaneous island-wide 2-day strike of motor workers that took place against the motor laws which provided for the cancellation of driving licences for trivial offences. There was opposition from the Ceylon Labour Party of A.E. Goonesinghe, which went so far as to provide employers with blacklegs (scabs) to break strikes led by the Samasamajists. However, the organisation of the bus workers went forward slowly.
A strike wave in May 1941 affected the workers on the Fort-Mount Lavinia bus route. On 22 November 1945 the Motor Workers Union launched its island-wide bus strike. N.M. Perera, Philip Gunawardena
, Somaweera Chandrasiri, W.J. Perera, George Perera and Leslie Goonewardene (who had just returned from India
after underground work in the independence movement there) were arrested and prosecuted for supporting a strike in an essential service. However, the strike was a success, and the bus owners, who were the most stubbornly anti-union section of the capitalists in Sri Lanka had make important concessions. In the Jaffna peninsula, the organisations of the bus workers came over to the Motor Workers Union.
, on 11 August 1953, the South-Western Bus Company workers came to a strike decision and its owner, Mr Cyril de Zoysa, stated to union representatives that he left his employees free to act as they thought best. It thereby became certain that the biggest bus operator in Sri Lanka would not function on 12 August. The news about the SW Bus Co had been sent to other bus lines by LSSP leaflets the same evening.
However, certain bus owners announced of that they would run their buses, whatever the situation. The general public, among whom they were anyway not very popular, directed their anger against these defiant owners. This was especially true of the Gamini Bus Co Ltd and the High Level Road Bus Co Ltd. Their buses were stopped, stoned, and smashed by the angered people. Their principal routes were then blocked at numerous points with felled trees, so that even a military escort could not get their buses through. It was not for several that these companies could resume their normal services. On the other hand, the South Western Bus Company was able to resume most of its services promptly after 12 August. Their routes had not been unduly blocked; their vehicles had largely escaped damage.
on many demands, amongst which was the payment of Government rates of cost of living allowances to the employees. However, both in 1961 and 1963 C.T.B. employees won further gains only through major strikes.
The bus workers joined in a strike on 8 January 1967 aimed at protection of concessions won over the past several years. As a result the union suffered heavy victimisation – which was later rectified by the law courts as well as by government intervention after the United Front
election victory in 1970.
Again in the General Strike
of 1980, the bus workers faced victimisation, including assault by the goons of the Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya (JSS) who, with government backing attacked other workers with bicycle chains and iron bars.
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
which organises workers in the passenger bus sector in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. It is affiliated to the Ceylon Federation of Labour
Ceylon Federation of Labour
The Ceylon Federation of Labour is an organisation bringing together trade unions in the private, semi-government and co-operative sectors of Sri Lanka.- History :...
(CFL).
History
OmnibusBus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
transport first began in Sri Lanka as an owner-operated service. There was no regulation, so when more than one bus operated on a single route there was a scramble for the load, which might end in fisticuffs or even stabbings. The setting up of the limited liability
Limited liability
Limited liability is a concept where by a person's financial liability is limited to a fixed sum, most commonly the value of a person's investment in a company or partnership with limited liability. If a company with limited liability is sued, then the plaintiffs are suing the company, not its...
omnibus companies by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
around 1940 was the first meaningful step to regularise public passenger transport in this country. The employees were treated abominably: one owner allegedly tied a bus conductor to a tree and spanked the poor man for failing to bring in the targeted collection for the day.
Trade union work was an uphill task and members of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party
Lanka Sama Samaja Party
The Lanka Sama Samaja Party is a Trotskyist political party in Sri Lanka....
(LSSP) had to proceed in secret, disguising themselves to avoid company thugs. J. Wanigatunga was one of the union agents so deployed.
In February 1936 the LSSP was able to take leadership in a spontaneous island-wide 2-day strike of motor workers that took place against the motor laws which provided for the cancellation of driving licences for trivial offences. There was opposition from the Ceylon Labour Party of A.E. Goonesinghe, which went so far as to provide employers with blacklegs (scabs) to break strikes led by the Samasamajists. However, the organisation of the bus workers went forward slowly.
A strike wave in May 1941 affected the workers on the Fort-Mount Lavinia bus route. On 22 November 1945 the Motor Workers Union launched its island-wide bus strike. N.M. Perera, Philip Gunawardena
Philip Gunawardena
Don Philip Rupasinghe Gunawardena introduced Trotskyism to Sri Lanka, where he is a national hero, known as 'the Father of Socialism' and as 'the Lion of Boralugoda'.-Early life & education:...
, Somaweera Chandrasiri, W.J. Perera, George Perera and Leslie Goonewardene (who had just returned from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
after underground work in the independence movement there) were arrested and prosecuted for supporting a strike in an essential service. However, the strike was a success, and the bus owners, who were the most stubbornly anti-union section of the capitalists in Sri Lanka had make important concessions. In the Jaffna peninsula, the organisations of the bus workers came over to the Motor Workers Union.
Hartal
On the eve of the Hartal 1953Hartal 1953
Hartal 1953 was a country-wide demonstration, commonly known as a hartal, held in Ceylon on August 12, 1953. It was organized to protest of the policies and actions of the incumbent United National Party government, and resulted in the resignation of the Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake...
, on 11 August 1953, the South-Western Bus Company workers came to a strike decision and its owner, Mr Cyril de Zoysa, stated to union representatives that he left his employees free to act as they thought best. It thereby became certain that the biggest bus operator in Sri Lanka would not function on 12 August. The news about the SW Bus Co had been sent to other bus lines by LSSP leaflets the same evening.
However, certain bus owners announced of that they would run their buses, whatever the situation. The general public, among whom they were anyway not very popular, directed their anger against these defiant owners. This was especially true of the Gamini Bus Co Ltd and the High Level Road Bus Co Ltd. Their buses were stopped, stoned, and smashed by the angered people. Their principal routes were then blocked at numerous points with felled trees, so that even a military escort could not get their buses through. It was not for several that these companies could resume their normal services. On the other hand, the South Western Bus Company was able to resume most of its services promptly after 12 August. Their routes had not been unduly blocked; their vehicles had largely escaped damage.
Ceylon Transport Board
Immediately after the nationalisation of the bus companies in 1958, the Motor Workers’ Union successfully concluded negotiations with the Ceylon Transport BoardCeylon Transport Board
The Sri Lanka Transport Board is a bus service provider in Sri Lanka.Between 1958 and 1978, the Ceylon Transport Board was the nationalised enterprise which handled all public bus transport in Sri Lanka. At its peak, it was the largest omnibus company in the world - with about 7,000 buses and...
on many demands, amongst which was the payment of Government rates of cost of living allowances to the employees. However, both in 1961 and 1963 C.T.B. employees won further gains only through major strikes.
The bus workers joined in a strike on 8 January 1967 aimed at protection of concessions won over the past several years. As a result the union suffered heavy victimisation – which was later rectified by the law courts as well as by government intervention after the United Front
United Front (Sri Lanka)
The United Front was a political alliance in Sri Lanka, formed by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party , the Lanka Sama Samaja Party and the Communist Party of Sri Lanka in 1968...
election victory in 1970.
Again in the General Strike
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
of 1980, the bus workers faced victimisation, including assault by the goons of the Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya (JSS) who, with government backing attacked other workers with bicycle chains and iron bars.