5th
"The general strike of Jan 5th, called in the name of all the union centres as a protsst against the use of the armed forces in the port and the failure of the Government to bring about a settlement of the port strike, was the biggest action so far of the organised working class. Despite the complete censorship announced by the Government (there is also a complete ban on meetings Gd. note) and the Government statements that tho strike was almost completely a failure, the strike was a big success.
"All the organised workers of the plantations struck, as did the vast majority of the workers in the big workplaces (both Government and private), the vast majority of postal workers, railway workers, organised work rs in hotels and the larger shops, practically the entirety of the white collar workers (in the ci) and 80% of the Government clerks organised in the GCSU. The majority of the bus workers also struck and the Government was able to run only a partial bus service and that too not everywhere. The train service was completely disorganised and only a few trains were able to run principally because of the strike of the station masters and signalmen. The strike of the Government Technical Officers'Federation disabled Radio Coylon, overseas cable and wireless services and the radio section of the airports. The military who took charge of the radio damaged the delicate apparatus through carelessness and the short wave system is not yet functioning. (on a false report by the military, however, 8 technical officers who struck have been arrested and are being charged with sabotage 4
"Victimisation has followed the strike, with the entire technical staff of Radio Coylon being served with quit notices, the interdiction of two station masters (who stopped trains at their stations at 12 midnight on the Ath), and arr= ests of bus workers for sabotage. The trade union organisations which called the strike met on the 7th and have issued a call to their organisations to prepare to fight these victimisations as well as othor similar actions which might be taken by the Government in the deys ahead. It remains to be seen whether this will dissuade the Government from the course it has been following since the 5th in these matters.
‘The false propaganda of the Government regarding the failure of the sirike does not appeg to have succeeded in the rural areas, whore the busstrike was generally more successful than in Colombo and where the radio is not yet functioning (the radius of the present medium wave transmission is only 30 miles). But it has had a certain success in Colombo, However, we are having a three hour debate in Parliament today on the strike situation, and since the parliamentary reports are not censored, we may be able to get the truth across to some extent. (5,000 copies of our paper, produced in disregard of the censor, and distributed through the trade unions and youth leagues are, of course, woefully insufficient).
“Our immediate aims are to fight the victimisation and to obtain a victory in the harbour strike which is still continuing solidly after 24 days (this report was written on the 9th of Jan. cur information is thot the strike is still continuing sed note.) It is realised, of course, that this strike cannot continue indefinttoly, particularly since there is no strike pay).
"The one day action, which was a political action to bring pressure to bear on the Government, appears to just (if only just) correspond to the present level of consciousness of the workers. It seems likely that the noxt big wave will be on the economic demands of whole sections of workers (e.s., the Govorn— ment workers and clerks), That is, of course, if continued victimisation or repr ession does not spark off a big action again.
"Tho party has been asked to be ready for all possible variants as described in the resolution adopted by the CC. The youth leagues were also alerted and instructed ot o conference on the 7th which was attended by represen’ es from 201 youth leagues. Apart from the special varian ‘ Le the general line for today is, while realising th n necessary to take the masses forward from th all sectarianism in action. "