Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter
SUPERVISORY AND technical workers at the St. Ann Bauxite Company returned to work on Saturday morning, but the union representing the workers is threatening further industrial action this week if the company fail to meet its demand.
The more than 60 workers last Thursday and Friday stayed off the job because the company reportedly failed to respond to their concerns regarding an increase in the wage package following the expiration of their contract in 2003.
But St. Patrice Ennis, general secretary of the Union of Technical and Supervisory Personnel (UTASP), said despite this protest action, the management of the company has still not agreed to increase its wage offer.
The company is offering a 25 per cent increase over three years but Mr. Ennis has described this as unacceptable. He said the workers were the worst paid in the sector.
According to Mr. Ennis, the results of an evaluation to compare the salaries of workers of the St. Ann Bauxite Company with others in the industry validated their claims.
Mr. Ennis said the evaluation showed that the workers were being paid 15 to 20 per cent below other workers in the sector. Asked how much the union was lobbying for, Mr. Ennis replied, "We are flexible."
But he indicated that a recent settlement at Alpart for 32 per cent increase in salaries over three years was a benchmark.
Yesterday, The Gleaner was unable to get a comment from the management of the St. Ann Bauxite Company company regarding the matter.
