Around 2,300 Manpower employees have struck work since Dec. 24 while the enjoining order restraining these SLT employees from continuing with the strike was made by district judge Sujatha Alahapperuma on Dec. 31.

The workers have been demanding authorities to re-instate them as permanent SLT employees and other trade unions of the Telecommunications sector have also joined the agitation.

On Jan. 02, Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe met with the SLT workers and pledged to abolish the manpower system under a new government after Jan. 08.