Around the Courts:

Court issues enjoining order on ICEU

Sandasen Marasinghe

Colombo District Judge Sisira Ratnayake yesterday issued an enjoining order restraining six including Inter Companies Employees Union (ICEU) and its Chairman Wasantha Samarasinghe from interrupting the employees of the Elastomeric Engineering Company Limited (EECL) of Bokundara, Piliyandala, entering the company and damaging the company in guise of a strike.

The Court Order is sequel to plaint filed by Elastomeric Engineering Company Limited citing the Union Chairman Wasantha Samarasinghe, Union Company branch President W.L.A.N. Premawansa among others as defendants alleged that the defendants attempted to prevent the employees from attending to work in guise of strike. The plaintiff cited the company lost over Rs. 1.3 million due to this action.

The plaintiff company stated that they called the company’s Union branch President and its Secretary for an inquiry on September 4 based on a labour dispute and their services were suspended until the inquiry is over.

Thereafter company employees including the Union leaders whose services were suspended initiated a strike. Although the plaintiff requested the employees to report to work without engaging in the strike, the employees did not respond positively. Thereafter the company had to suspend the services of 344 employees on September 11.

The plaintiff further stated that the plaintiff had took the services of fifty persons through a man-power supplying company and recruited new employees after adverting in newspapers. The defendants were attempting to prevent the new recruits and others from the man-power supplying company from attending to work at the plaintiff company.

The plaintiff company said it is producing wheels for casters and industrial solid tyres for exporting purposes. The Court also issued notice for interim injunction and put off the case for October 3.

President’s Counsel Nihal Jayamanne appeared for the Plaintiff.