Sri Lanka Railways has issued a circular restricting employees from using social media during working hours and from disclosing sensitive information about railway operations, as trade unions accused the department’s management of trying to suppress union activity.
The department said the circular followed a growing trend among some officers and employees of disclosing sensitive information on social media during working hours and in connection with their official duties. Such disclosures, it said, could seriously undermine the credibility of the railway service, passenger safety and institutional discipline.
Under the circular, only the General Manager of Railways, the department’s official spokesperson and the Information Officer are authorised to provide official information to the media or other external parties. Issued under the General Manager’s signature, it states that strict legal action will be taken against officers who breach it.
Unions demand a withdrawal
Separately on Wednesday, the Joint Development Officers’ Union called on the General Manager to immediately withdraw a decision to initiate legal action against the Chief Secretary of the Sri Lanka Railways Station Masters’ Union (SLRSMU) over public criticism of the department’s administration.
The union’s secretary said a letter seeking legal action had been issued nearly a year after the General Manager took office, and argued that trade unions have the right to comment on matters affecting their services and members.
“This is something the General Manager, Ministers, Secretaries, Deputy Ministers and all senior management officials should understand,” he said, describing the move as a possible attempt to suppress trade union activity. He said several rounds of discussions with management had not resolved the unions’ grievances, and warned that all railway unions could resort to trade union action if the letter is not withdrawn.
The SLRSMU has meanwhile called for an urgent investigation into recent locomotive engine breakdowns, with General Secretary Kasun Chamara saying the General Manager should be among those examined and alleging he is responsible for the current situation.
Neither Ada Derana nor the Daily Mirror reported whether the circular and the legal action against the SLRSMU officer are formally connected, and the department has not said what disclosure prompted the letter. The unions were also publicly critical this week of the absence of special trains during the school holidays.
