The Myth of “Full-Timers” in Trade Unions

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In Sri Lanka’s Labour movement, the term “full-timer” has become a source of confusion and manipulation. Some trade unions attempt to convince members that only elected branch leaders qualify as “full-time” representatives, while ordinary workers are relegated to “part-time” status. This claim, however, has no foundation in law. It is a manufactured narrative that undermines worker solidarity and misrepresents the protections guaranteed under Sri Lankan legislation.

The Trade Unions Ordinance is clear in its scope: it governs the registration, regulation, and functioning of unions. It defines officers, executives, and members, but nowhere does it create categories of “full-time” or “part-time” unionists. Its purpose is to ensure unions are legally recognized and their officers can represent workers collectively—not to determine employment status.

Meanwhile, the Shop and Office Employees (Regulation of Employment and Remuneration) Act directly regulates employment relationships. It requires employers to issue appointment letters, set working hours, and guarantee minimum standards of pay and welfare. Under this Act, any worker continuously employed is recognized as a full employee with statutory rights. Whether or not they hold a union office has no bearing on their employment status.

The problem arises when unions blur these two frameworks. By suggesting that only elected leaders are “full-timers,” they create a false hierarchy that diminishes the legitimacy of ordinary members. In reality, all employees covered under the Shop and Office Employees Act are full-time workers if they meet the conditions of continuous employment. Union officers may be recognized under the Trade Unions Ordinance, but that recognition does not translate into a special employment category.

This distinction is crucial. Workers who are denied appointment letters or misled about their status risk losing out on protections guaranteed by law. Awareness is the first step: employment rights are defined by Labour legislation, not by internal union politics. Trade unions should strengthen worker solidarity by clarifying these legal realities, not by inventing categories that divide their membership.

The bottom line: Sri Lankan law does not restrict “full-timer” status to union branch leaders. Workers under the Shop and Office Employees Act are legally recognized employees with full rights, regardless of union narratives. It is time for unions to stop perpetuating myths and start empowering members with the truth.

Dilakson. S

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