SOME 20 AIRLIFT handlers at the Norman Manley Internat-ional Airport were issued with dismissal letters 'effective immediately'. The workers were fresh off a three-day strike protesting the dismissal of five of their colleagues just days earlier for reportedly lobbying for union representation.
Granville Vallentine, senior negotiating officer for the National Workers' Union, which was seeking to represent the workers was extremely upset. He told The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre that there was some understanding between the union, the Ministry of Labour and the airport on the matter.
"It is surprising and we are totally disappointed that, unfortunately, after two days of meetings at the Ministry of Labour involving senior officers, we advised the workers to go back to work with the understanding that the five guys who were dismissed will stay off and we find some other route of dealing with the issue that they would go back to work without prejudice, only to learn that this morning the entire B shift that went back to work this morning (Saturday) was fired," he said.
Mr. Vallentine said the union will be seeking a meeting with the airport's management early tomorrow morning. Efforts to reach the management of Airlift Handlers proved futile.
