P. Sara Oval groundsman alleges wrongful termination, club stands by decision

By Bipin Dani

A senior groundsman of the Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club, who alleges that he was wrongfully terminated by the club, has filed an application in the labour tribunal, the Daily Mirror learns.

Ajith Priyantha, who has longstanding employment as a groundsman at the club, alleges that he was wrongfully terminated by Tamil Union after an argument that he had had with a female employee of the ground staff.

The groundman has hired the services of a prominent lawyer Nimal Ranawaka.

"According to the instructions I got this groundman service has been terminated by the Tamil union cricket club because of the incident that took place on 8th of August 2020 at the ground premises of the club with another female employee," Ranawaka said.

"According to my client Ajith Priyantha the inquiry was biased and the female employee who initiated and started the incident has been exonerated by the union authorities, ignoring her violent misbehaviour using filthy words towards her senior employee."

"It seems the decision against Ajith was one sided and the punishment was very excessive for an employee who has worked for many years unblemished. Therefore, steps have been taken to file an action in labour tribunal to reinstate him with backwages," the lawyer further added.

However, the club President Ramesh Schaffter maintains that it was the groundsman who initiated the incident, and thereby his termination was warranted.

“The groundsman had assaulted the woman staff member with a stump and this happened during working hours. We have the evidence and it was unanimously decided in the last managing committee meeting to terminate him from employment,” Schaffter told the Daily Mirror yesterday.    

However, according to Schaffter, the club is not prepared to reinstate the groundsman.

"Only concession we can give him is to accept his resignation and leave him without a tag of termination", Schaffter signed off.