History
2014 - IFJ MEMBERSHIP
Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association is the first media organization in Sri Lanka to become a member of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and is still a full member of same.
2014 - TRADE UNION
The Association was registered as a recognized Trade Union under the Trade Union Ordinance in the year 2014, in accordance with the resolutions of the General Meetings of the years 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2012.
2009 - OFFICE BUILDING
The land owned by the Association was developed and construction of the present Office of the Association was completed in the year 2009.
2007 - COLOMBO DECLARATION
In the year 2007, the Association signed ‘Colombo Declaration on Media Freedom and Social Responsibility – 1998’ became a partner of the Sri Lanka Press Institute. Accordingly, the Association owned an opportunity to represent as a Board Member of the Board of Directors of Sri Lanka Press Institute, The Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka and the College of Journalism of Sri Lanka.
2005 - THOLANGAMUWA DECLARATION
The Association was also able to contribute to the launch of the ‘Tholangamuwa Declaration’ in 2005.
1987 - PARLIAMNET ACT No. 46 of 1987
In 1987, the Association was incorporated in Parliament Act No. 46 of 1987 and its amended Bill was published in the Government Gazette after its approval by the Cabinet in 2009.
1985 - OFFICE
Later in 1985, a twenty perch low lying land owned by the Urban Development Authority in the Maligawatte area in Colombo was acquired for the Association under the 99 year lease scheme and a small office was later built.
1979 - Establishment
The Association was established with the intension of establishing a trade union of journalists, but it had not been registered under the Trade Union Ordinance.
1979 - FORMATION
Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association was established on October 9, 1979. Journalists working in the print and electronic media who met at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute on that day, elected a staff and marked the beginning of the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association. Accordingly, Mr. D.F. Kariyakarawana was elected as the President, Mr. Newton Seneviratne was elected as the Secretary and Mr. R. Sivagurunathan was elected as the Treasurer of the Association.