State and Local government employees have planned to stage protests outside their offices demanding a higher salary increase claiming that the Rs 10,000 offered from the budget was not sufficient.

The main protest is due to take place outside the Sethsiripaya complex where several government offices are located.

A spokesman for the organizers said that they hope to have the protest during the lunch hour today across the country.

He said they would insist that the government grants a salary increase of Rs 20,000.

He said another demand would be to provide the increase from January itself, instead of making the payments later in the year with arrears.

However, Saman Ratnapriya, Director General of Trade Unions relations of the President, said that those protesting should realize that the Rs 10,000 increase is being provided despite financial difficulties. “The unions should re-think about the situation as at last year when the country was in an economic crisis”, he added.

He said it was few unions backed by the JVP and the Peratugami were involved in the protests and did not have the backing of the majority of the public sector employees.