Protestors demand higher salaries in Sri Lanka

Trade unions affiliated to Sri Lanka's opposition parties took to the streets demanding a salary hike, an official said Tuesday.

Hundreds of protestors representing trade unions affiliated to the main opposition United National Party (UNP) gathered in downtown Colombo, Xinhua reported.

They were demanding an increase of SL Rs.10,000 ($78) in salaries for all 1.3 million of Sri Lanka's public workers in the government's budget presentation Friday.

Carrying placards and shouting slogans, the protestors asked the government to grant a pay hike in the budget instead of providing piecemeal allowances which, they say, would be taken away by the government later.

Wasantha Samarasinghe, chairman of the opposition Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) party, said the working masses cannot be fooled by the budget.

"This government should be ready to go home at the next presidential election if the workers' demands are not heeded," he told the rally.

The protests by trade unions have been seen by political analysts as an attempt to ramp up anti-government sentiments among the public ahead of possible presidential elections in January.

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa has reduced fuel, gas and electricity costs over the last few weeks and hinted at other relief measures ahead of his government's budget Friday.

Rajpaksha has advanced the presidential election to January. It was due only two years later.