Sri Lanka's public workers strike to press for lower taxes, power bills


A patient walks while looking for an open medicine distribution counter at a hospital during the general strike, in Colombo, Sri Lanka March 15, 2023. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Public employees at Sri Lanka's ports, hospitals, schools, and railways went on strike on Wednesday to protest against high costs of living as the country struggles to recover from a severe financial crisis.

Thousands of members belonging to more than 40 trade unions refused to report to work or took sick leave in the latest round of protests to demand the government rolls back high taxes, lower record-high interest rates, and reduce power tariffs.

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