[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"page:en-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Ftrade-unions":3},{"id":4,"slug":5,"title":6,"short_title":7,"intro_text":8,"meta_description":8,"seo_title":8,"path":9,"content_type":10,"locale":11,"go_live_at":7,"first_published_at":12,"page_created_at":13,"published_at":12,"edit_url":14,"breadcrumbs":15,"seo":26,"rendered":35,"description":36,"body":37,"body_blocks":38,"call_to_action":39,"owner":46,"authors":54,"show_related_pages":56,"related_pages":57,"related_sites":130,"in_subsite":56,"contact_page_url":7,"banner_message":131},970,"trade-unions","Trade Unions",null,"","\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Ftrade-unions","labourlaw.labourlawpage","en_LK","2025-07-28T11:27:19.675093+00:00","2026-04-08T18:05:12.663925+00:00","\u002Fcms\u002Fpages\u002F970\u002Fedit\u002F",[16,19,22,25],{"title":17,"slug":18},"Sri Lanka","en-lk",{"title":20,"slug":21},"Work in Sri Lanka","work-in-sri-lanka",{"title":23,"slug":24},"Labour Law","labour-law",{"title":6,"slug":5},{"title":27,"description":8,"image":28,"canonical":29,"robots":30,"og_type":31,"twitter_card":32,"locale":18,"created_at":33,"last_modified_at":34},"Trade Union, Collective Bargaining, CBA - Sri Lanka","https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002FSocial_media_preview_image_-_2025.2e16d0ba.fill-1200x630.png","https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Ftrade-unions\u002F","index, follow","website","summary_large_image","2025-07-28T13:27:19.675093+02:00","2026-04-08T20:05:12.894739+02:00","\u003Cdiv class=\"cobra-ll-view\">\n\n  \n\n    \n    \n  \n  \u003Ch1>Trade Unions\u003C\u002Fh1>\n  \u003Cspan class=\"lastupdated\">This page was last updated on:\n      2025-01-18\u003C\u002Fspan>\n\n  \n\n    \n  \n    \n      \n        \n          \n    \n    \n    \n        \u003Cdiv class=\"teaserItem\">\n          \u003Ch2>Freedom to Join and Form a Union\u003C\u002Fh2>\n          \u003Cp>The Constitution provides for Freedom of Association and allows workers to form and join Trade Unions. \u003Cbr \u002F>\nThe Trade Unions Ordinance defines trade union as any association or combination of workmen or employers, whether temporary or permanent, having among its objects one or more of the following objects :-\u003Cbr \u002F>\n(a) the regulation of relations between workmen and employers, or between workmen and workmen or between employers and employers; or\u003Cbr \u002F>\n(b) the imposing of restrictive conditions on the conduct of any trade or business ; or\u003Cbr \u002F>\n(c) the representation of either workmen or employers in trade disputes ; or\u003Cbr \u002F>\n(d) the promotion or organization of financing of strikes or lock-outs in any trade or industry or the provision of pay or other benefits for its members during a strike or lock-out and includes any federation of two or more trade unions.\u003Cbr \u002F>\nA trade union must get registered within three months of commencement, however extension up to six months can be granted. The prescribed application form, signed by at least seven persons, is submitted to the registrar along with a copy of the rules of the trade union and a statement of the following particulars, namely:\u003Cbr \u002F>\nthe names, occupations and addresses of the members making the application; the name of the trade union and the address of its head office; and the titles, names, ages, addresses and occupations of the officers of the trade union.\u003Cbr \u002F>\nIf the objects, rules and constitution of the union do not conflict with any of such provisions, the Registrar issues the certificate of registration the union. The union can be prosecuted for non-compliance with the requirements.\u003Cbr \u002F>\nThe Industrial Disputes Act considers it an unfair labour practice if workers are coerced\u002Fforced by the employer to join or refrain from joining a union as a condition of employment. Similarly, an employer cannot discriminate against a worker in any aspect of employment due to the worker's participation in trade union activities. A person above the age of 21 but under the age of 16 years may become a union member. In Sri Lanka, there are 2,074 registered trade unions, of which 54.5 per cent are in the public sector, 27.5 per cent in public corporations and 18 per cent in the private sector. The number of members covered by the trade unions amount to 9.5 per cent of the total workforce of Sri Lanka. While several unions are affiliated to the Global Union Federations (GUFs), there are four unions that are affiliated to the International Confederation of Trade Unions (ICTU). The ICTU members being: Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), Sri Lanka Nidahas Sevaka Sangamaya (SLNSS), National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) and the National Workers Congress (NWC). Below their reference:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Col>\n\u003Cli>\n\u003Cp>Ceylon Workers Congress \u003Cbr \u002F>\nAdd: 72, Anada Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colombo 07\u003Cbr \u002F>\nTP: 94 011-2574528, 011-2574524\u003Cbr \u002F>\nE-mail: cwconline@sltnet.lk\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\n\u003Cp>National Trade Union Federation \u003Cbr \u002F>\nNo. 60, Bandaranayakepura,\u003Cbr \u002F>\nSri Jayawardenapura Mawatha Welikada, Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Fol>\n        \u003C\u002Fdiv>\n    \n\n\n        \n      \n        \n          \n    \n    \n    \n        \u003Cdiv class=\"teaserItem\">\n          \u003Ch2>Freedom of Collective Bargaining\u003C\u002Fh2>\n          \u003Cp>Industrial Disputes Act provides for collective bargaining. However, the requirement that a union must represent at least 40% of workers at a given workplace seems quite restrictive. \u003Cbr \u002F>\nIndustrial Disputes Act defines collective agreement as an agreement relating to the terms and condition of employment of workmen in any industry. Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) usually provides better benefits to the worker than those provided in the law. If a CBA has provisions which are less favourable than those provided under the law, it cannot be enforced.\u003Cbr \u002F>\nThe CBA is effective on the date it gets published. It binds the parties, trade unions, employers and workmen referred in the agreement.\u003Cbr \u002F>\nA CBA may be concluded for definite or indefinite time period. A CBA of indefinite term may be cancelled by giving a written cancellation notice in the prescribed form sent to the Commissioner and to every other party, trade union and employer. \u003Cbr \u002F>\nA CBA must be in writing and signed by either the parties or their representatives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Source: §5-10 & 32(A)(g) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1950\u003C\u002Fp>\n        \u003C\u002Fdiv>\n    \n\n\n        \n      \n        \n          \n    \n    \n    \n        \u003Cdiv class=\"teaserItem\">\n          \u003Ch2>Right to Strike\u003C\u002Fh2>\n          \u003Cp>Sri Lankan law does not explicitly recognize the right to strike however since the Trade Union Ordinance defines what the strike action involves and also prohibits the strike in essential services (, it can be implicitly assumed that strike action in enterprises other than essential services is legal and allowed by law if an employer is informed at least 21 days prior to the commencement of the strike in a prescribed manner and form. Compulsory recourse to arbitration and long list of so-called essential services actually restrict the right to strike.\u003Cbr \u002F>\nThe Trade Unions Ordinance and the Industrial Dispute Act defines strike as the cessation of work by a body of persons employed in any trade or industry acting in combination, or a concerted refusal, or a refusal under a common understanding of any number of persons who are, or have been so employed, to continue to work or to accept employment.\u003Cbr \u002F>\nIndustrial Dispute is any dispute or difference between employers and workmen or between workmen and workmen connected with the employment or non-employment, or the terms of employment, or with the conditions of labour, of any person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Source: §32, 48of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1950; §67 of the Factories Ordinance; §02 of the Trade Union Ordinance, 1935\u003C\u002Fp>\n        \u003C\u002Fdiv>\n    \n\n\n        \n      \n        \n          \n    \n    \n    \n        \n    \n\n\n        \n      \n    \n\n    \n      \n    \n      \u003Cdiv class=\"regulations\">\n        \u003Ch2>Regulations on Trade Unions\u003C\u002Fh2>\n        \u003Cul>\n          \u003Cli>\n            Payment of Gratuity Act, 1983\n          \u003C\u002Fli>\n          \u003Cli>\n            Shrama Vasna Fund Act 2019 (Act No. 15)\n          \u003C\u002Fli>\n          \u003Cli>\n            Trade Union Ordinance, 1935\n          \u003C\u002Fli>\n        \u003C\u002Ful>\n      \u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n    \n\n    \n      \n    \n    \u003Cdiv class=\"related\">\n      \u003Ch2>Related Items\u003C\u002Fh2>\n      \n          _ll_sexharassment_URL_\n      \n          _ll_maternity_URL_\n      \n          _ll_workwages_URL_\n      \n          _ll_forcedlabour_URL_\n      \n          _MW_FOLDER_URL_\n      \n    \u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n    \n\n  \n\n    \n    \n\n  \n\n  \n  \n\n  \n    \u003Cstyle>\n\n      h1, h2, h3 {\n      font-weight: bold;\n      margin-top: 20px;\n      margin-bottom: 10px;\n      }\n      \n      .related a {\n        display:block;\n        border: 1px solid transparent;\n      }\n\n      ul ol, ol ol, ol ul {\n      font-size: 100%;\n      }\n\n    \u003C\u002Fstyle>\n\n  \n\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>","Your rights: trade unions and collective bargaining in Sri Lanka – .","\u003Cdiv>\n\n\u003Cspan>This page was last updated on:\n      2025-01-18\u003C\u002Fspan>\n\u003Cdiv>\n\u003Ch2>Freedom to Join and Form a Union\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>The Constitution provides for Freedom of Association and allows workers to form and join Trade Unions. \u003Cbr\u002F>\nThe Trade Unions Ordinance defines trade union as any association or combination of workmen or employers, whether temporary or permanent, having among its objects one or more of the following objects :-\u003Cbr\u002F>\n(a) the regulation of relations between workmen and employers, or between workmen and workmen or between employers and employers; or\u003Cbr\u002F>\n(b) the imposing of restrictive conditions on the conduct of any trade or business ; or\u003Cbr\u002F>\n(c) the representation of either workmen or employers in trade disputes ; or\u003Cbr\u002F>\n(d) the promotion or organization of financing of strikes or lock-outs in any trade or industry or the provision of pay or other benefits for its members during a strike or lock-out and includes any federation of two or more trade unions.\u003Cbr\u002F>\nA trade union must get registered within three months of commencement, however extension up to six months can be granted. The prescribed application form, signed by at least seven persons, is submitted to the registrar along with a copy of the rules of the trade union and a statement of the following particulars, namely:\u003Cbr\u002F>\nthe names, occupations and addresses of the members making the application; the name of the trade union and the address of its head office; and the titles, names, ages, addresses and occupations of the officers of the trade union.\u003Cbr\u002F>\nIf the objects, rules and constitution of the union do not conflict with any of such provisions, the Registrar issues the certificate of registration the union. The union can be prosecuted for non-compliance with the requirements.\u003Cbr\u002F>\nThe Industrial Disputes Act considers it an unfair labour practice if workers are coerced\u002Fforced by the employer to join or refrain from joining a union as a condition of employment. Similarly, an employer cannot discriminate against a worker in any aspect of employment due to the worker's participation in trade union activities. A person above the age of 21 but under the age of 16 years may become a union member. In Sri Lanka, there are 2,074 registered trade unions, of which 54.5 per cent are in the public sector, 27.5 per cent in public corporations and 18 per cent in the private sector. The number of members covered by the trade unions amount to 9.5 per cent of the total workforce of Sri Lanka. While several unions are affiliated to the Global Union Federations (GUFs), there are four unions that are affiliated to the International Confederation of Trade Unions (ICTU). The ICTU members being: Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), Sri Lanka Nidahas Sevaka Sangamaya (SLNSS), National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) and the National Workers Congress (NWC). Below their reference:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Col>\n\u003Cli>\n\u003Cp>Ceylon Workers Congress \u003Cbr\u002F>\nAdd: 72, Anada Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colombo 07\u003Cbr\u002F>\nTP: 94 011-2574528, 011-2574524\u003Cbr\u002F>\nE-mail: cwconline@sltnet.lk\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\n\u003Cp>National Trade Union Federation \u003Cbr\u002F>\nNo. 60, Bandaranayakepura,\u003Cbr\u002F>\nSri Jayawardenapura Mawatha Welikada, Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Fol>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Cdiv>\n\u003Ch2>Freedom of Collective Bargaining\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Industrial Disputes Act provides for collective bargaining. However, the requirement that a union must represent at least 40% of workers at a given workplace seems quite restrictive. \u003Cbr\u002F>\nIndustrial Disputes Act defines collective agreement as an agreement relating to the terms and condition of employment of workmen in any industry. Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) usually provides better benefits to the worker than those provided in the law. If a CBA has provisions which are less favourable than those provided under the law, it cannot be enforced.\u003Cbr\u002F>\nThe CBA is effective on the date it gets published. It binds the parties, trade unions, employers and workmen referred in the agreement.\u003Cbr\u002F>\nA CBA may be concluded for definite or indefinite time period. A CBA of indefinite term may be cancelled by giving a written cancellation notice in the prescribed form sent to the Commissioner and to every other party, trade union and employer. \u003Cbr\u002F>\nA CBA must be in writing and signed by either the parties or their representatives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Source: §5-10 & 32(A)(g) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1950\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Cdiv>\n\u003Ch2>Right to Strike\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Sri Lankan law does not explicitly recognize the right to strike however since the Trade Union Ordinance defines what the strike action involves and also prohibits the strike in essential services (, it can be implicitly assumed that strike action in enterprises other than essential services is legal and allowed by law if an employer is informed at least 21 days prior to the commencement of the strike in a prescribed manner and form. Compulsory recourse to arbitration and long list of so-called essential services actually restrict the right to strike.\u003Cbr\u002F>\nThe Trade Unions Ordinance and the Industrial Dispute Act defines strike as the cessation of work by a body of persons employed in any trade or industry acting in combination, or a concerted refusal, or a refusal under a common understanding of any number of persons who are, or have been so employed, to continue to work or to accept employment.\u003Cbr\u002F>\nIndustrial Dispute is any dispute or difference between employers and workmen or between workmen and workmen connected with the employment or non-employment, or the terms of employment, or with the conditions of labour, of any person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Source: §32, 48of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1950; §67 of the Factories Ordinance; §02 of the Trade Union Ordinance, 1935\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Cdiv>\n\u003Ch2>Regulations on Trade Unions\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>\n            Payment of Gratuity Act, 1983\n          \u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\n            Shrama Vasna Fund Act 2019 (Act No. 15)\n          \u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\n            Trade Union Ordinance, 1935\n          \u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Cdiv>\n\u003Ch2>Related Items\u003C\u002Fh2>\n      \n          \u003Ca href='\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Ffair-treatment\u002Fsexual-harassment'>Sexual Harassment\u003C\u002Fa>\n      \n          \u003Ca href='\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Fmaternity-and-work'>Maternity and Work\u003C\u002Fa>\n      \n          \u003Ca href='\u002Fwork\u002Fminimum-wage\u002Fregulations\u002Fminimum-wages-regulations-srilanka'>Minimum Wages Regulations - Sri Lanka\u003C\u002Fa>\n      \n          \u003Ca href='\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Ffair-treatment\u002Fforced-labour'>Forced Labour\u003C\u002Fa>\n      \n          \u003Ca href='\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Fminimum-wage\u002F'>Minimum Wage\u003C\u002Fa>\n      \n    \u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Cstyle>\n\n      h1, h2, h3 {\n      font-weight: bold;\n      margin-top: 20px;\n      margin-bottom: 10px;\n      }\n      \n      .related a {\n        display:block;\n        border: 1px solid transparent;\n      }\n\n      ul ol, ol ol, ol ul {\n      font-size: 100%;\n      }\n\n    \u003C\u002Fstyle>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>",[],{"text":40,"link":41},"Contact Us",{"title":40,"url":42,"description":40,"rel":43,"type":44,"id":45},"\u002Fabout\u002Fcontact","follow","internal",24590,{"id":47,"first_name":48,"last_name":49,"email":50,"image":51,"function":52,"external":53},2,"Gunjan","Pandya","gunjanpandya@wageindicator.org","https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002FGunjan-Pandya-ED_PhPZSyI.width-400.jpg","IT Specialist and Global Webmaster",false,[55],{"id":47,"first_name":48,"last_name":49,"email":50,"image":51,"function":52,"external":53},true,[58,62,66,70,74,78,82,86,90,94,98,102,106,110,114,118,122,126],{"id":59,"short_title":7,"title":60,"url":61},952,"Work and Wages","\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Fwork-and-wages",{"id":63,"short_title":7,"title":64,"url":65},953,"Compensation and Working Time","\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Fcompensation-and-working-time",{"id":67,"short_title":7,"title":68,"url":69},954,"Annual Leave and Holidays","\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Fannual-leave-and-holidays",{"id":71,"short_title":7,"title":72,"url":73},955,"Contracts and Dismissals","\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Fcontracts-and-dismissals",{"id":75,"short_title":7,"title":76,"url":77},956,"Notice and Severance","\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Fcontracts-and-dismissals\u002Fnotice-and-severance",{"id":79,"short_title":7,"title":80,"url":81},957,"Family Responsibilities","\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Ffamily-responsibilities",{"id":83,"short_title":7,"title":84,"url":85},958,"Maternity and Work","\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Fmaternity-and-work",{"id":87,"short_title":7,"title":88,"url":89},959,"Job Protection","\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Fmaternity-and-work\u002Fjob-protection",{"id":91,"short_title":7,"title":92,"url":93},960,"Breastfeeding","\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Fmaternity-and-work\u002Fbreastfeeding",{"id":95,"short_title":7,"title":96,"url":97},961,"Health and Safety","\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Fhealth-and-safety",{"id":99,"short_title":7,"title":100,"url":101},962,"Sick Leave","\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Fsick-leave",{"id":103,"short_title":7,"title":104,"url":105},963,"Work Injury Benefits","\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Fsick-leave\u002Fwork-injury-benefits",{"id":107,"short_title":7,"title":108,"url":109},964,"Social Security","\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Fsocial-security",{"id":111,"short_title":7,"title":112,"url":113},965,"Unemployment Benefits","\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Fsocial-security\u002Funemployment-benefits",{"id":115,"short_title":7,"title":116,"url":117},966,"Fair Treatment","\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Ffair-treatment",{"id":119,"short_title":7,"title":120,"url":121},967,"Sexual Harassment","\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Ffair-treatment\u002Fsexual-harassment",{"id":123,"short_title":7,"title":124,"url":125},968,"Minors and Youth","\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Ffair-treatment\u002Fminors-and-youth",{"id":127,"short_title":7,"title":128,"url":129},969,"Forced Labour","\u002Fen-lk\u002Fwork-in-sri-lanka\u002Flabour-law\u002Ffair-treatment\u002Fforced-labour",[],"\u003Cp>Salary.lk is WageIndicator. Same organisation, same information, new look!\u003C\u002Fp>"]