An investigation team from the Labour Department visited the Ceylon Newspapers this morning and conducted an emergency interrogation.
This was in connection with the violation of the labor rights of the employees of the Mawbima and Ceylon Today newspapers printed under the company.The company is owned by formar minister Tiran Ales.
This emergency inspection was conducted under the investigation initiated by the Labour Commissioner regarding a number of allegations including non-payment of salaries, delay in salaries, and withholding of Employees’ Provident Funds.
The investigators have obtained information from a handful of employees who were present there.
The employees have told the investigators that the majority of the employees of the institution have been prevented from coming to the institution despite the promise of paying salaries.
The investigating officers have gone to the institution’s accounts department and severely criticized its head.
The Lanka Times web has continuously reported on these anti-worker practices at Ceylon Newspapers, owned by former minister Tiran Allas, and the Free Media Movement trade union, the Sri Lanka Professional Journalists Association and the Media Workers Trade Union Federation, filed a complaint with the Labour Commissioner last March.
However, the investigations by the Labour Department were extremely slow and the political friendship between the JVP and Tiran Allas was heavily criticized by the media community.
Legal action is also being taken against the accounting officers of Ceylon Newspapers for other frauds, including the issuance of bad cheques.
(Translation of an article published by Lanka Times by Soba Koliyawansa)
MINISTRY OF LABOUR
6th Floor, “Mehewara Piyesa”, Narahenpita, Colombo 05, Sri Lanka
My No.: M1/MS/26/17
Date: 03 July 2026
Media Release/ Ministry of Labour.
Deputy Minister of Labour instructs the Commissioner General of Labour to conduct an urgent investigation into employee grievances at Ceylon Newspapers (Private) Limited
Deputy Minister of Labour Mahinda Jayasinghe has today (03) instructed the Commissioner General of Labour, Nadeeka Wataliyadda, to conduct an urgent investigation into the grievances reported by employees of Ceylon Newspapers (Private) Limited, located at Rosmead Place, Colombo 07, and to submit a comprehensive report.
The complaints raised by the employees include matters relating to the failure to pay salaries at the stipulated level, non-payment or delayed payment of wages, non-payment of statutory contributions to the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) and Employees’ Trust Fund (ETF), and other issues concerning employees’ salaries and employment-related entitlements.
It has been reported that employees of Ceylon Newspapers (Private) Limited have faced a number of difficulties in relation to these matters.
Accordingly, considering the complaints and representations received, the Deputy Minister has directed that an investigation be conducted into the issues faced by the employees and that an appropriate report be submitted.
The Labour Department is expected to examine the relevant employment conditions, statutory obligations and other matters raised by the employees in the course of the investigation.