S. Janaka Biyanwila is a part-time lecturer in Employment Relations at the Business School of the University of Western Australia. His work explores labour relations with particular interests in the global South intertwining issues of development, nationalism, social movements, gender and civil society.

• 1. Introduction: Sri Lanka, the Global South and Worker Struggles 2. History of Unions in Sri Lanka: The Colonial State and Political Unionism 3. The Nurses and a Monk: Limits of Economic Unionism 4. Plantation Workers and Anti-Tamil Violence: Struggles of Political Unionism 5. Free Trade Zone Workers and Allianced: Building a Movement Unionism 6. Conclusion: Renewing Movement Politics and Global Labour Solidarity

S. Janaka Biyanwila is a part-time lecturer in Employment Relations at the Business School of the University of Western Australia. His work explores labour relations with particular interests in the global South intertwining issues of development, nationalism, social movements, gender and civil society.

• 1. Introduction: Sri Lanka, the Global South and Worker Struggles 2. History of Unions in Sri Lanka: The Colonial State and Political Unionism 3. The Nurses and a Monk: Limits of Economic Unionism 4. Plantation Workers and Anti-Tamil Violence: Struggles of Political Unionism 5. Free Trade Zone Workers and Allianced: Building a Movement Unionism 6. Conclusion: Renewing Movement Politics and Global Labour Solidarity

S. Janaka Biyanwila is a part-time lecturer in Employment Relations at the Business School of the University of Western Australia. His work explores labour relations with particular interests in the global South intertwining issues of development, nationalism, social movements, gender and civil society.

• 1. Introduction: Sri Lanka, the Global South and Worker Struggles 2. History of Unions in Sri Lanka: The Colonial State and Political Unionism 3. The Nurses and a Monk: Limits of Economic Unionism 4. Plantation Workers and Anti-Tamil Violence: Struggles of Political Unionism 5. Free Trade Zone Workers and Allianced: Building a Movement Unionism 6. Conclusion: Renewing Movement Politics and Global Labour Solidarity