Grama Niladhari Officers across Sri Lanka will abstain from work on December 10-11 by reporting sick leave, protesting the failure to implement a Cabinet-approved increase to their travel allowance.

Grama Niladhari Officers have announced plans for a coordinated two-day work stoppage beginning tomorrow, with staff island-wide reporting sick leave in protest over unmet demands regarding their compensation. According to Nandana Ranasinghe, Chairman of the Grama Niladhari Trade Union Alliance, the action targets the authorities' failure to implement a previously approved allowance adjustment.

The core grievance centres on the travel allowance provided to these officers, which has remained fixed at Rs. 600 for the past eight years without adjustment. Ranasinghe highlighted that despite the economic changes over this period, no increase has been granted to offset rising operational costs.

While the Cabinet granted approval in 2024 to replace the existing allowance with an amount equivalent to the cost of 20 litres of fuel, Ranasinghe stated that this decision has not been implemented on the ground. The union contends that the delay in implementation constitutes a breach of the approved directive, prompting the need for industrial action. The trade union made the announcement through a media briefing in Colombo, emphasizing that the sick leave campaign will be conducted across all districts to maximize impact.