Trade Unions Voice Opposition to Proposed Changes Affecting Employees’ Provident Fund

A letter has been submitted to the President’s Secretariat raising objections to several issues that have arisen concerning the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF).

The trade union representatives called for the removal of mechanisms they said had been proposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), stressing that measures should be taken to protect workers without interfering with the Employees’ Provident Fund.

Speaking to the media, P. D. Sarana, Secretary of the All Ceylon Commercial and Industrial Workers’ Union, said the authorities should focus on protecting workers’ interests.

Shantha Wijesuriya of the Professional Journalists’ Association claimed that the government was attempting to “plunder” the Employees’ Provident Fund. He said those who had misappropriated public property should be investigated, rather than taking measures that could affect workers’ provident fund savings. He also warned that trade unions would take action if the EPF was interfered with.

Meanwhile, Ashoka Chandrasena of the Ceylon Teachers’ Union said handing over control of the Employees’ Provident Fund would be similar to “giving the henhouse to the fox.” He argued that simply accumulating money in the Treasury would not help when people were struggling to meet their basic needs.

The trade union representatives reiterated that they would oppose any move that they believe could jeopardise the Employees’ Provident Fund.

Background: The government has recently been considering changes to the governance and administration of the EPF and Employees’ Trust Fund. In June 2026, Cabinet approved the appointment of a senior officials’ committee to examine the feasibility of bringing the two funds under a unified governance framework, while the Cabinet also approved steps in August to amend the EPF Act. The IMF’s September 2026 statement on Sri Lanka discussed broader structural and fiscal reforms, but the specific claims in the supplied report about IMF proposals concerning the EPF are statements made by the trade union representatives and are not independently established here.