Just outside Sri Lanka’s Bandaranaike International Airport, where more than 2 million tourists start their vacations each year, a different reality unfolds in the Katunayake export processing zone (EPZ). There, thousands of garment workers take their places in factories guarded by electrified fencing to begin long days for little pay, forced to endure grueling production […]
Why the Port City is bad for the country
In 2010, it appears a few senior professionals in their individual capacities had done an Initial Technical Pre-Feasibility Study, focusing on a small-scale development of 200 acres (80 hectares), as had been initially planned. Their report was not comprehensive and considered as a ‘concept note’. In October 2012, the Chinese Developer had submitted a project […]
Bangladesh garment workers strike
At least 1,500 workers have been sacked from Bangladesh garment factories after protests forced a week-long shutdown at dozens of sites supplying top European and American brands. Tens of thousands of workers walked out of factories this month in the manufacturing hub of Ashulia which make clothes for top western brands such as Gap, Zara and H&M, […]
Tea estate workers continue strike for 1000 rupees per day
The strike launched by tea estate workers demanding that plantation companies increase their basic daily wage up to Rs. 1,000 continued for the seventh day today throughout the estate sector. Other trade unions yesterday also decided to offer their support to the trade union action launched by the Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) in the estate […]