throw ourselves from the roof. Their action brought widespread support, was accompanied by large solidarity demonstrations and eventually forced the General Manager and the Labour Minister to meet the workers' union for negotiations. GILL LEE interviewed DHARSHANIE DE SILVA (Secretary) and M.I.REYAL of the Ceylon Diamond Company Workers' Q. Can you describe the events that led up to the decision of six of the women to undertake their roof top protest. A. Our struggle began on the 19th of May when the 287 workers - overwhelmingly women - were dismissed by the company. We were given no reason at the time, simply locked out. Later, they gave a variety of reasons, that some girls had We'd been picketting and putting up posters for two months where. So six of us climbed up onto the roof of the Labour Department. it was very hot and women were fainting. We stayed up there for five days and we were ready to The rest of the workforce were blocking the entrance to the Department of Labour and members of the public and oiner workers were Joining the demonstrations. Eventually we forced the General Manager to come to the Labour Department and he and the Labour Minister and the Labour Commissioner had discussions with our repre sentatives.
It was a big victory that we'd forced him to meet with us. Q. What support have you had for the strike? A. It was fantastic during the time we were on the roof - the public were very supportive. Even the police who'd come to clear the demonstrators were sympathetic - one of them We had lots of help from United Labour Federation (NSSP-led union). They helpou us get money from other workers and helped us achieve a settlement. 4.
We had been in the All Ceylon Commercial and In(L.SSP-ll, bet dey dias"t do anything to help us. While women on the roof were faintin hospital, the General Secretary did nothing to help - just shouted at us. He didn't take any action to force the company to negotiate Q. What were the details of the agreement that was reached as a result of your action? A. We wanted them to reopen the factory and reemploy all the old workforce. They haven't agreed to that. Originally they said they wanted it completely closed, then they said they would re-open it and dred of the original work- So we've said they should force to reemploy. give us our jobs back.
We weren't having that- They're trying to draw out we weren't going to let them the situtation to lower the rechoose who could get their jobs back. So we said that they Things are very desperate.
Even finding the money for should compensate all the workers for losing their jobs.
to the office we're campaignThey also owe us for the last month we'd worked before ing from is very hard. Despite the lockout and we want to be these problems most of the paid for the two months of the workers are sticking round the lock out. We won't give up.
we'll fight to the last.
If they're going to re-em. ploy workers, we have a list of • Messages of support/ dotwo hundred, including 187 of nations should be sent to: the original workforce, who Ceylon Diamonds A&C International (Private) sented it to them. They've got 21 days to come up with our Limited c/o United Federation of Labour, No17 Barmoncy and they're now saying that they rack Lane. Colombo 2, Sri can't afford to pay it.