Petroleum and Petroleum Resources Development Minister A. H. M. Fowzie, yesterday admitted that there was a fuel shortage in petrol sheds due to the on-going trade union action by CPC employees.

He said that he was not ready to welcome or recognise trade unions or act irresponsibly. The President had agreed to meet the CPC unionists after his return from Vietnam on 26th of this month.

"I passed this message to the unionists and requested them to stop their work-to-rule campaign. But it seems they prefer to continue with union action," the Minister said.

Minister Fowzie made this statement in reply to a query raised by JVP Parliamentary Group Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who said that henchmen of the CPC Chairman had attacked employees who were engaged in union action and their offices too been destroyed. He demanded to know what action the government would take to bring its thugs under control.

Minister Fowzie said that an investigation would be held to find out what exactly happened in these alleged attacks and said that those found guilty, would be punished according to the law of the country.

MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that the workers have a democratic right to agitate and join in trade union action.

If suppression continues, there would be a fuel shortage in the market and lines of vehicles would queue up near petrol sheds, he warned.