Employees’ Union members picket in front of Calcutta Swimming Club. Picture by Sanat Kumar Sinha

The stalemate at The Calcutta Swimming Club, locked out since March 13 following labour trouble, has taken an ugly turn with the club management alleging “physical assault” by the agitating staff union.

“Two of our representatives were attacked and beaten up by slogan-shouting union members on May 18 when we were leaving the additional labour commissioner’s office after a tripartite meeting,” club president Anand Chopra told Metro.

The injured — systems manager Shibaji Ghosh and rooms captain S. Ganguly — were taken to SSKM Hospital, while an FIR was filed with the Hare Street thana, club secretary M.M. Ghosh said.

The club management had sought police protection after the institution’s camp office at 7A Kiran Shankar Roy Road was gheraoed on May 18.

The Calcutta Swimming Club Employees’ Union, however, denied that their members had “physically harmed” anyone. “Some of their (management’s) people harassed us while we were coming out of the meeting. The management rejected all the suggestions of the labour commissioner, thereby ruling out the possibility of a resolution,” said union president Buddhadeb Banerjee.

The management had showcaused and subsequently suspended six employees on allegations of “illegal assembly during duty hours, slogan shouting and heckling of staff and members” on the premises. The staff union has been demanding unconditional withdrawal of the suspension.

However, with Friday’s conclave ending in violence, the standoff at the club looks unlikely to be resolved soon, as the management has hardened its stance further.

“The members can’t be held to ransom always,” said Chopra.

Additional labour commissioner T.P. Bhattacharya, who had called the Friday meeting, also feels chances of a quick resolution might have drifted away. “We have heard about the incident. There’s no point in calling a fresh meeting now since we have a feeling the club management would only toughen its position,” he said.

The club has spelt out a clutch of conditions for lifting the lockout, including “restoration of normalcy” and “assurance that the six suspended workmen will not enter the club premises unless specifically called and will cooperate in disciplinary proceedings”.

Another union at the Club, Calcutta Swimming Club Shramik Union, has rallied against the Employees’ Union. “They have beaten up a number of our members and is also responsible for the attack on the management,” said Subrata Chowdhury, general secretary of the Shramik Union.