The Hon. Mahinda Jayasinghe - Deputy Minister of Labour

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, today we present an amendment under Regulation No. 3 of the Shop and Office Employees (Regulation of Employment and Remuneration) Act, No. 19 of 1954. Previously, under that Regulation it was stated that any woman over 18 years of age could be employed before 6.00 a.m. or after 6.00 p.m. as a guest attendant in a residential hotel, a female room attendant, a female cloth store attendant, or a female lavatory attendant. We now add to that list “food and beverage stewardesses” employed in residential hotels, permitting their engagement during those hours as well.

¶ 02 We bring this because women constitute 51 percent of our population, yet women’s labour force participation is about 34 percent, previously around 30 percent. To further facilitate women’s participation, we are adjusting rules to allow appropriate night work in defined sectors, including F&B stewardesses in residential hotels.

¶ 03 Our hospitality industry is growing rapidly, with investment flowing in. Through this amendment we expect employers to ensure necessary safeguards when women work between 6.00 p.m. and 6.00 a.m.: provide transport to usual residences if shifts end suddenly between those hours, or suitable accommodation; and ensure health, safety and welfare. This is not optional.

¶ 04 Women have been engaged in night work already. In 2024, 751 establishments were approved for women’s night work; by 30 September 2025, 554 establishments had such approvals. In 2024, nine complaints related to women’s night work were received and all resolved within 2024; in 2025, two complaints were received and both resolved within 2025.

¶ 05 On worker protection, yesterday we marked a historic milestone by ratifying ILO Convention No. 190. The Convention was adopted in June 2019, but for six years it was not ratified in Sri Lanka. We obtained Cabinet approval and yesterday handed over the instrument of ratification to the ILO’s Sri Lanka office head, Ms. Joni Simpson. Sri Lanka thus became the second country in South Asia—after Bangladesh—to ratify C190. Its core aim is to end all forms of violence and harassment in the world of work and to ensure a dignified work environment. We have committed to implement it.

¶ 06 This Government is bringing laws to protect working people’s rights. The people endorsed us at three successive elections; we will safeguard that trust. Recently, we increased private sector minimum wages by Rs. 27,000 and then to Rs. 30,000, and raised plantation sector wages. The National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) had not been convened for over a year and a half before we took office; since then, we have convened it seven times, engaging unions, employers and Government in tripartite dialogue to resolve matters properly.

¶ 07 Accordingly, I request approval of this Regulation under the Shop and Office Employees Act.

¶ 08 A few clarifications. Some have accused the Government of media suppression, pointing fingers at the Minister of Mass Media. We recall the time when at a rally of the Hon. Leader of the Opposition, a venerable monk named and attacked two TV channels, calling one the “dog” channel and another “above all” channel, for allegedly insulting him. Today the same channels attack us, which we ignore. But we will call out false news and misinformation for the people’s sake.

¶ 09 For instance, a channel recently carried a false story about our Hon. Prime Minister, misquoting the Anunayake Thero of the Asgiriya Chapter as saying the public would be mobilized against “Harini’s three-stage agenda”. The Thero did not say any such thing about Hon. Harini Amarasuriya; it was a misinterpretation and an insult to the Maha Sangha and Buddhism. We will challenge such disinformation.

¶ 10 On past media freedom violations: Lasantha Wickrematunge was murdered on 8 January 2009; evidence was concealed. Sirasa TV was bombed on 6 January 2009; stones were thrown at Sirasa on 10 March 2010. Those now preaching press freedom should look back at that record. They are travelling the country spreading lies; many are getting misled, but the truth will emerge.

¶ 11 To those benefitting from parliamentary privilege to spread falsehoods: the people will not return you to power. If change comes, it will be through a more modern and developed political force than before, not through discredited forces.

¶ 12 Returning to today’s subject, I must clarify a misinterpretation of my oral answer on 6th to a question by Hon. Oshini Umanga Hapuarachchi about the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) and the Employees’ Trust Fund (ETF). I explained that EPF and ETF were established for social security. Some members withdraw early benefits; then, at retirement, social security objectives may not be met. I never said withdrawal is banned. I noted, for example, some take up to 30 percent at times, and some take the full amount at retirement. Considering such realities, the Government is examining options, including pensions. Certain media—Lankadeepa and the Daily Mirror websites—misconstrued it as the Government abolishing EPF and replacing it with a pension. That is entirely false. Dissemination on social media created unnecessary fear among EPF members. The Government has no plan to abolish EPF.

¶ 13 Finally, we value the contribution of working people. We have granted the largest-ever multi-stage public sector salary increase. We have reconvened the NLAC, held seven meetings in the past year, and raised the private sector national minimum wage to Rs. 30,000 via NLAC decisions. We are progressing on a new comprehensive labour law through a 17-member committee. All EPF/worker-related decisions will go through the NLAC—no backdoor decisions. Thank you for the extra time.

¶ 14 We assure the public, especially EPF members, that funds will not be misused for corrupt or parochial purposes. Any measure on labour will be deliberated through the NLAC with unions, employers and Government. Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.