Employees’ councils are being promoted inside the Export Processing Zones (EPZ) as an alternative to union recognition. Management-controlled employees’ councils are staffed by supervisors and office-based workers, and management sets the agendas for meetings and limits discussion of issues. The use of employees’ councils to subvert the will of workers to form a union is a violation of the right to organise and bargain collectively. A number of companies are promoting employees’ councils where a union is trying to register and is being unrecognised.
Mirrai Pvt., Ltd. instructed the branch union of FTZ-GSEU to go through the employees’ council of the factory. Brandix continues to promote the employees’ council in the Koggala EPZ even though the National Workers Congress is attempting to gain recognition. In addition, several companies are promoting employees’ councils where unions are registered: Mag Pack (Pvt) Ltd. instructed the branch union of FTZ-GSEU to go through the employees’ council of the factory after the branch union requested an appointment from management to discuss demands. DSL Lanka is trying to undermine Progress Union’s plant-level union by establishing an employees’ council. Finally, Ranmalu, Suluta, Koggala Garment, Trandsetter, Sky Sport, I.C.L., and Brooky Diamond are promoting employees’ councils as an alternative to the branch level National Workers Congress unions.