CPC Strike Ends Following Discussion With PM

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) trade unionists last night decided to call off their strike which had crippled fuel distribution throughout the country. Their decision to abandon trade union action came following an assurance given by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesing

that he would not enter into an agreement with India on the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm.

Prime Minister ‘s Secretary ,  Saman Ekanayake issued a letter that the Prime Minister had agreed to grant the three demands put forward by the warring unions.

The other demands are the renovation of the Sapugaskanda oil refinery and bringing Hambantota oil refinery under the CPC.

The CPC trade unionists said , the media last night that their strike had yielded the desired results and the government had given in.

CPC sources said, that most of the refilling stations had run out of fuel due to panic buying, but they were confident that supplies would be replenished soon. Thousands of people countrywide suffered yesterday owing to the CPC strike.

Most of the fuel refilling stations had closed by noon yesterday as they had out of stocks and long lines of people waiting outside the petrol sheds which had limited stocks were seen. In some places police had been deployed to control agitated consumers.