Tribunal Orders LTA To Reinstate Ex-Employee

The Employment Relations Tribunal has ordered the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to reinstate an employee who was fired in 2017.

The employee, Alfred Williame, who was a former regional manager Northern for LTA was dismissed from employment on February 17, 2017.

Following the dismissal, Mr Williame had filed an employment grievance through his lawyer, Filimoni Vosarogo.

The orders of the Tribunal are:

• Mr Williame be reinstated to his former position or to a position which is not less advantageous to him. The order of reinstatement is effective from March 9, 2020.
• The authority must pay Mr Williame loss of wages from February 17, 2017 to March 9, 2020 less statutory dues.

This compensation is limited to the monetary jurisdiction of the Tribunal.

• Costs follows the event, the Tribunal awarded costs to Mr Williame summarily assessed in the sum of $750.

Background:

On February 17, 2017, Mr Williame received a letter stating his contract with the authority had been terminated.

Mr Williame had disputed the lawfulness of the termination and also argued that it was unfair.

He had signed a contract of employment as the regional manager Western with the authority from January 1, 2016 for a period of three years and was later transferred to the Northern Division and became the authority’s regional manager northern stationed at the Labasa Office.

The complaint centred on the alleged facilitation for Vishnu Holdings Limited to withdraw the application, to enable a competitor, Dalip Chand/Parmod Chand to lodge its application.

The authority further on the summary dismissal justification letter dated March 1, 2017, outlined the reasons for dismissal.

The board when hearing the submission resolved to summarily dismiss Mr Williame.

Senior Resident Magistrate Ropate Green who presided the matter, in his judgment said he found that in the matter, Mr Williame was entitled to be compensated for loss of wages.

He said Mr Williame was unlawfully terminated and hence he was entitled to be compensated.

Edited by Ranoba Baoa

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