By Balford Henry, Acting News EditorTWO DISPUTES involving unionised workers were referred as emergencies to the Industrial Disputes Tribunal yesterday by Dean Peart, Minister of Labour, in a bid to avert strikes that could threaten the country's economy.
Last night, Mr. Peart, referred to the IDT the dispute between Windalco, the bauxite-alumina company, (formerly Alcan Jamaica Co.) and the National Workers' Union over the Personal Income Protection (PIP) agreement between the parties. The agreement is regarded as a "safety net" in cases of major devaluation of the Jamaican dollar against the US dollar.
Earlier yesterday, Mr. Peart referred a dispute between the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston, and its line staff, represented by the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union, to the IDT for emergency action.
And about 300 workers involved with Segment Two of the North Coast Highway project and another 50 workers at the Jamaica National Heritage Trust, Duke Street, central Kingston, stopped working yesterday over payment issues, as well.
On the horns of the industrial disputes dilemma is the growing restiveness of the Police Force and the teachers, who are both demanding that their pay disputes be settled prior to the general election.
The IDT is expected to call an emergency meeting this morning at its King Street offices, Kingston. However, with no strike in effect, no back-to-work order is expected, but the Tribunal would want a commitment from the parties that normality will be maintained in the process.
This comes against the background of the current 72-hour strike notice issued by Norman DaCosta, the NWU's deputy island supervisor, on the company effective 8 a.m. yesterday, making a strike possible at Windalco as of 8 a.m. on Sunday.
Under the Memorandum of Understanding between the unions and the companies in the sector, a three-day notice is required prior to any action which could affect the alumina refineries. Mr. DaCosta said yesterday that notwithstanding the referral to the IDT the strike notice still stood. Efforts to get a comment from the management of Windalco were unsuccessful.
At the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, the workers started a two-hour work stoppage at 12:30 p.m. yesterday, after wage talks at the ministry between the BITU and the management of the hotel broke down.
The negotiations involving some 200 workers have been in progress since November 2001. The union wants a 25 per cent pay increase but the company has offered 5 per cent as its maximum. Yesterday's talks broke down after the company said it could not improve on its offer.
A workers' delegate said they would stop working for two hours daily until the deadlock was broken. Today's demonstration is expected to start at noon.
Eldon Bremner, the hotel's general manager, said that during the stoppage, the hotel was able to continue operating normally with management staff handling the line services. But, Mr. Bremner was concerned that if the action continued into busier days, like today, the consequences would be much more serious.
"We are hoping that it will not continue, since the matter has been referred to the tribunal," Mr. Bremner said.
Employees of the archaeology department of the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) said they would stay off the job until management offered redress for "unauthorised deductions" made from their pay cheques.
The 50 employees, who are posted in Port Royal and conduct archaeological investigations on behalf of the Trust, picketed outside the JNHT's offices yesterday. They say they might take their protest to Port Royal today, if their demands are not met.
Leonard Wilson, University and Allied Workers' Union negotiating officer, told The Gleaner that management had deducted money from the workers' pay cheques without consulting or negotiating with them or the union.
He said the workers got a memo on Wednesday indicating that there was to be a deduction of sums management claimed were owed. The sums, listed as "uncleared advances on subsistence since 1999" resulted in deductions of less than and in excess of $6,000 this month without explanations.
A spokeswoman for the Trust said the workers were required to return unused advanced subsistence paid to them, or to produce receipts showing that the money was used. She said that those who did not provide receipts or made returns had the amounts deducted from their pay this month.
About 350 employees on the long-delayed North Coast Highway project have stopped working since Monday, protesting against the levels of fees being paid by the contractors. The workers complained that they were being paid less that the rates paid to workers in similar positions on other projects.
The Ministry of Transport and Works said yesterday that it would hold a meeting with the workers and the BITU today to seek a resolution
