JPPC strike looms

IN THE midst of one of the most serious power generation crises to affect the island, the Jamaica Private Power Company (JPPC), Rockfort, Kingston, has been threatened by industrial action by unionised workers seeking better pay.

A meeting at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security yesterday failed to resolve the seven-month old dispute. The parties were unable to decide on another meeting date. The matter has been at the Ministry of Labour since mid-July when local level talks broke down. About 35 workers are involved.

The National Workers Union (NWU) is complaining that only three points in its 17-point claim on the company have so far been addressed. These are claims for a revolving loan scheme, a job evaluation and wage increases.

The company has offered six per cent in the first year and a further five per cent in the second year of a new contract. But, the union has rejected the offer outright and the workers are disgruntled. There is also a dispute over who should carry out the job evaluation.

NWU senior negotiating officer Granville Valentine said the union wants to keep the workers on the job to ensure the availability of its 60 megawatts of power, but that yesterday's failure to reach an agreement has made it more difficult.

A 140-tonne crankshaft was recently returned to the plant, after being sent to Spain in April for repairs at a cost of US$350,000. The absence of the crankshaft had reduced the company's generation of power by half.

This helped to reduce the Jamaica Public Service Company's generating capacity, leading to widescale load shedding. The crankshaft has been reinstalled but it will take some time to resume full capacity.

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