THE EDITOR, Sir:
I REFER to the article by Earl Moxam titled "When should the unions be kept out" in The Sunday Gleaner of the 21st December, 2003, arising out of the Ausjam Goldmine issue.
As usual, it is a hard line on both sides of the fence, the law must be obeyed, new business must have a union-free workforce until it gets on its feet. Only Ruddy Spencer is quoted as not ruling out "the possibility of dialogue giving rise to a short-term accommodation". Sameer Younis has some semblance of an approach - that of a wage incentive scheme, but it appears that it is tied to a non-union situation for keeps.
Sure, workers should receive protection under the law, sure the new enterprise should have an opportunity to get the business on a sound footing before being subjected to high union demands which could contribute to the possibility of collapse resulting in loss of capital, loss of jobs and loss of union membership, etc.
A COMPROMISE
I wonder if a compromise could not be worked out somewhat along the following lines -
(a) grant bargaining rights to the union where the workers wish to be represented by unions following the procedures of poll-taking under the law;
(b) put in place Sameer's proposal for an incentive payment system which would enhance productivity and reward worker effort;
(c) have a moratorium of, say, two years, during which time there would be no wage or fringe benefits claim by the union, but it would be able to represent workers in the bargaining unit in respect of such matters as disciplinary action, welfare and working conditions;
(d) work out a formula for a no-industrial action situation during the moratorium period, with unresolved issues being promptly referred to the Ministry for settlement; and
(e) no union rivalry during the period, no telling the workers that their rights have been sold out. Alternatively, if there is a change in union representation, it must be on the condition that the new union can only service the existing collective agreement until the end of the moratorium period.
What about it JCTU, Jamaica Employers Federation (JEF), Ministry of Labour? Can we hear from you, possibly after discussing the matter at the Labour Advisory Committee. Remember gents, "thar's gold in them thar hills" meaning wealth, employment, union dues and revenue, so don't "kill the goose that lays the golden egg".
I am, etc.,
GEORGE KIRKALDY C.D.
Retired Industrial
Relations Specialist
