Trade unions have threatened to go on a general strike at several Free Trade Zones in the country if the police fail to release some garment factory workers arrested today following a protest.
Trade union activist and JVP member Wasantha Samarasinghe told reporters that the police will be given a deadline to release all those arrested by tomorrow and the government should also withdraw the proposed private sector pension scheme.
He said that if those arrested are not released then trade union action will be taken to destabilize the economy of the country.
The police used teargas to remove garment factory workers protesting at the Katunayake Free Trade Zone this afternoon after the protestors attacked the police.
The protest was against the government proposed pension scheme and followed a meeting held earlier in the day between Labor Minister Gamini Lokuge and the garment factory workers.
During the protest police officers in the area were pelted with stones resulting in the police using teargas to disperse the crowd, Minister Gamini Lokuge said.
The police said that 10 policemen were injured in the incident and around 50 garment factory workers were arrested
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