MINISTER OF Labour Dean Peart moved with commendable promptness last week to block a possible strike at Windalco acting to protect the bauxite industry and the national economy.
Realising that the conciliatory talks at his Ministry were headed for a breakdown on Thursday, Mr. Peart immediately referred the dispute to the Industrial Disputes Tri-bunal (IDT). The tribunal, in turn, called an emergency meeting on Friday and ordered the workers to withdraw their strike notice. In the meantime, Mr. Peart got a court injunction in case the workers defied the Tribunal which they sensibly have not.
The 72-hour strike notice which was issued on the company by the National Workers Union (NWU) on Wednesday could have resulted in a strike at the company as of 8 a.m. Sunday.
Labour ministers have often been accused of relying too heavily on the IDT to use its quasi-judiciary powers to prevent strikes. However, on this occasion the Minister acted prudently.
He has been supported by the Prime Minister in a statement over the weekend in which he stressed "the grievous national consequences" of any disruption of the bauxite
industry.
