The Hon. (Ms.) Lakmali Hemachandra, Attorney-at-Law

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, thank you for the opportunity to speak on the expenditure head of the Ministry of Labour.

¶ 02 Before I begin, I recall with respect Samanmalee Hettiarachchi of the Dabindu Collective, who passed away on 12 November last year. On a day like today, when we speak on the Labour Ministry’s vote, we must remember her. Since the 1980s, through organizations such as the Dabindu Collective, she led struggles to secure the labour rights of women in Free Trade Zones, to build women’s leadership and unions. She was herself a working-class woman. Many such women in Sri Lanka are unrecognized in forums like these. I wish to honour her memory as I begin.

¶ 03 Often, from the perspective of workers and trade unions, the Labour Ministry was seen as giving insufficient weight to the workers’ side in maintaining industrial relations and peace. Especially in the last three to four years, this sentiment intensified. However, over the past year, through the National People’s Power government, and the interventions of the Labour Minister and Deputy Minister, there has been a notable change.

¶ 04 On the specific matter Samanmalee also pursued: the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC), established in 1995 as a tripartite forum (workers, employers, government) to decide on industrial and labour matters, had been inactive for about one and a half years by 2023 when we took office. Particularly, attempts to reform labour laws without consulting trade unions led to the NLAC being rendered inactive. After we formed the government, from December onwards, the NLAC was reactivated and has met more than six times, giving trade unions space to express views on labour law and policy.

¶ 05 I must also note: Sri Lanka’s women workers—especially garment workers—contribute significantly to the economy, but have had very limited space in policy-making. Increasing women’s representation in the NLAC was never a policy priority until we assumed office. We enabled women-led trade unions to be represented. Now, there are three women appointed by the Minister to the NLAC and three women-led unions represented. This is a victory for both the labour and women’s movements.

¶ 06 On maintaining industrial peace, the Ministry intervened significantly in wages. We amended the law to increase the national minimum wage to Rs. 27,000 from last April and to Rs. 30,000 from January 2026, after discussions and agreement with employers—two consecutive annual increases, unprecedented in history. It shows this government stands with workers.

¶ 07 On plantation wages, much discussed: this government stood with plantation workers, negotiated with employers and stakeholders, and secured the increase.