Theresa Newman, a cane cutter with the Bernard Lodge sugar factory in St. Catherine for the last four years, vents her disgust with management during a protest at the main entrance at the company yesterday. The workers were protesting against what they referred to as poor treatment by the factory's management. - RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
SPANISH TOWN, St. Catherine:
SEVERAL DISGRUNTLED cane cutters of the Bernard Lodge sugar estate, claiming that they were demonstrating because of management's failure to address matters regarding the pending redundancy exercise, padlocked the gate to the production line of the factory, yesterday morning, delaying the milling process.
The workers said that since June last year, their status has been uncertain as management kept offering them three-month contracts. They said signing these contracts would jeopardise their chances of getting redundancy money, as they would be regarded as temporary workers. Of the over 400 workers, only 75 are regarded as registered cane cutters.
According to John Gayle, operations manager, the workers are disgruntled as they want to know what the situation is regarding their redundancy payment. He added that any
exercise that results in unemployment will have awkward moments.
"The earning issue incenses everybody and the cane cutters are no different. I must say the issue of redundancy affects us all, but it is how it is dealt with," he said.
Mr. Gayle said that about 10 per cent of the workers participated in the industrial action.
