Tyrone Reid, Staff ReporterTHE NATIONAL Workers' Union (NWU) on Monday recorded a significant victory when it won a representational rights poll to represent employees of the state-operated Port Security Corps (PSC).
"We have made a triumphant breakthrough in the security industry, winning the poll among Port Security Corps employees, over 500 of them," an elated Danny Roberts, vice-president of the NWU, told The Gleaner yesterday.
According to Mr. Roberts, it took a while but a change in the security industry has finally been realised. "We have been trying for a very long time to get into the security industry, (but) we were having some difficulties... there was resistance from some of the security companies," he explained.
Mr. Roberts praised Horace Dalley, Minister of Labour and Social Security, pointing out that the Minister was instrumental in facilitating the staging of the poll. He said the victory will fuel the NWU's efforts to secure bargaining rights for other workers.
"There are a number of other claims for representational rights that we have ...that we are going to be pursuing in a number of other companies, he added."
The unionisation of the PSC follows another NWU victory earlier this year when the union won bargaining rights on behalf of workers at Eastwood Security Company.
PRIMARY FUNCTION
In 1989, the PSC was incorporated to safeguard all publicly operated seaports and airports throughout Jamaica. Its primary function is to reduce the trade in illicit goods through airports and seaports and to implement a programme of restricted access to these areas.
Over the years, the services of the corps have been expanded to include the provision of security services to the major tourist resorts of Negril, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio and Montego Bay, Government residences and the Jamaica Urban Transit Company.
