Protesting workers from the Bank of Jamaica, downtown Kingston, during strike action outside the building last Thursday morning as they demand better wages. - Andrew Smith/Photography Editor
Union representatives have dismissed comments by the Jamaica Employers' Federation (JEF), accusing the unions of using a "big stick" approach during wage negotiations.
On Tuesday, JEF issued a press statement expressing alarm at the reemergence of the "big stick" approach that some union officials continue to apply at the bargaining table.
"Industrial action in all forms is now being used not necessarily in furtherance of an industrial dispute, but to fill the gap where union officers lack the capacity, or simply refuse to raise the bar in their negotiating skills, competence, resourcefulness and preparedness," said JEF.
The federation cited the recent impasse between the Bank of Jamaica (BoJ) and its unionised workers who went on a four-hour strike to press for better wages last week.
Intimidating
However, JEF described
the action by the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) as intimidating.
"We are disappointed that Mr. Ruddy Spencer, the president
of the BITU, would use such tactics
to attract the attention of
the Ministry of Finance or the
principals of the bank," said the federation.
In response, Mr. Spencer said that the comments made by JEF were baseless and unfortunate. "A simple call to the Bank of Jamaica, the Employers' Federation would have been told that we have been very responsible that we submitted our claims since March and we have not been able to have
any meeting up to now," he told
The Gleaner.
JEF cited the spate of industrial unrest in the bauxite industry, and more recently, the nurses, the police and the National Water Commission (NWC). As
it relates to the NWC, the
federation said the workers' strike action was "unacceptable,
counter productive, contrary to lawful industrial relations
practices and, more so, should not be conducted by an essential service."
Responding to this Granville Valentine, National Workers Union's senior negotiating officer, said the union's action was justifiable and that the comments made by JEF cannot be taken with any level of seriousness.
"Our view is that we wish they (JEF) were more proactive," said Mr. Valentine, "and give an input before these situations reach the proportion where workers or unions have to take serious strong action rather than to come on the back end after the management of companies have made serious mistakes or meted out serious injustices to workers."
Jamalco workers back on the job
The 100 workers contracted to carry out construction work on the Jamalco
expansion project in Clarendon returned to work yesterday after having gone on strike on Tuesday.
The workers walked off the job claiming that negotiations to settle several work- related issues were not
progressing as quickly as anticipated.
However, both the National Workers Union and the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union, which represent the workers, said they had not issued instructions for strike action.
In the meantime, a meeting between the unions and the contractors has been scheduled for next Monday in an effort to address the issues.
