Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter

Workers who participate in the Ministry of Labour's Overseas Employment Programme in the United States will have their minimum hours increased from 30 to 35 hours per week.

Alvin McIntosh, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, said this was one of several agreements signed off on at last week's 86th joint meeting of the Regional Labour Board and United States Employers of Caribbean Workers.

Mr. McIntosh told The Gleaner on Wednesday that the number of hours has been a recurring complaint among workers who participate in the hotel programme.

"We say no less than 35 hours for a hotel worker. Farm workers do not usually have that problem, they are always occupied. But we want people to be fully engaged so that they can earn something," he said.

Improved housing costs

Mr. McIntosh said the new hours would be implemented with immediate effect. He, however, pointed out that some workers could work up to an average of 65 hours per week.

The minimum wage for workers who go on the programme is from US$7 to US$10.50 per week. The wage is determined by the State in which they are employed.

At the three-day meeting, which was held in Montego Bay, St. James, Mr. McIntosh said improvements in the cost of housing accommodations were also agreed to.

"Many of the workers were complaining that rental cost was high," he said. "What we have been able to do is to work out the possibility of the workers sharing rooms to sort of minimise the cost of rentals."

Travelling hours

Meanwhile, Mr. McIntosh said the Regional Board was also able to secure improvements in travelling hours for the workers whom he said were forced to face long travelling hours before they reach their destination.

"What we found, is that these journeys were too long (and) taking several hours to get there and, as such, became very inconvenient and very stressful," he said.

Mr. McIntosh said the workers would now be disembarking at points closer to where they will be working. For example, in Colorado, workers will now be disembarking in Denver and, in places such as Michigan, workers will be flown to New York.

U.S. employers from Florida, Mississippi, Colorado, Texas, Alabama, the Carolinas and Michigan participated in the discussions. The Regional Labour Board is comprised of representatives from Barbados, Trinidad, Dominica, and St. Lucia.