A MEETING BETWEEN top Government ministers and senior union officials has left Government hoping that this week will see the end to the problems which resulted in work stoppage at the Jamalco plant's mud lake disposal facility in Clarendon.
Government representatives led by Prime Minister, P.J. Patterson, Horace Dalley, Labour Minister and Minister of Development, Dr. Paul Robertson met with union bosses on Saturday at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Montego Bay.
It was the latest attempt to broker a solution after talks between various representatives, the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) and National Workers Union (NWU) and the former sub-contractor during the week, ended without agreement.
Up to late Thursday night, there had still been no solution although representatives from Caribbean Construction Company (CCC) and the National Workers' Union had met in a bid to avert more problems threatening the US$115 million expansion project at the Jamalco Alumina refinery at Halse Hall, Clarendon.
On Saturday, the Government had more promising news.
"The issues were fully ventilated following which a number of initiatives will result in the resumption of work on the mud disposal system early in the coming week," said a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister.
"The union officers pledged to work to ensure stability at the facility and to support the expansion programme which is vital to the national effort to achieve economic growth and job creation."
Problems have been plaguing the site since February 20 when the National Workers Union (NWU) won a bargaining rights poll at the site. Workers lost their jobs the following day after the sub-contractor pulled out.
The union has accused the company of union busting.
Jamalco is a 50/50 partnership between Alcoa Inc. of the United States, and the Government of Jamaica, with Alcoa as the managing partner.
