Jovan Johnson, Gleaner Writer From Go-Jamaica

Today’s meeting between the management of the Chinese-owned Pan Caribbean Sugar Company and unions representing dismissed security guards has reportedly ended in another stalemate.

One-hundred-and-thirty-two guards, who had been on indefinite leave, were sent home last Thursday, despite ongoing talks over alleged breach of labour laws by the sugar company.

Today’s meeting was the fourth in a series aimed at solving the impasse.

National Workers Union President, Vincent Morrison, says Pan Caribbean’s management maintained that the workers were laid off because of the high incidences of security breaches at its Bernard Lodge, Monymusk and Frome sugar factories.

Morrison says the Ministry of Labour is to report to both parties by noon on Wednesday on the next move.

The NWU president says the Labour Ministry will have to look at having the matter referred to the Industrial Disputes Tribunal or they could take the issue to court.

On Friday, the unions put forward an eight point proposal they believe could resolve the issues.

In the interim, the unions want the guards to be reinstated.

The guards are represented by the NWU, the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union and the University and Allied Workers’ Union.

For more on this story go to:

http://go-jamaica.com/news/read_article.php?id=47339

Related story:

Sugar dispute hangs in the balance

By Balford Henry From Jamaica Observer

A meeting at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security on Friday failed to resolve the dispute between Pan Caribbean Sugar Company and its unionised workers protesting against planned redundancies at the factories.

Sources told the Jamaica Observer that there had been some progress at the meeting, towards resolving the issues which have triggered the current dispute. However, a resolution will depend on the outcome of the next meeting, scheduled for August 14.

Pan Caribbean is understood to have made a three-point proposal to address issues which have led to their decision to restructure the security at all three factories — Bernard Lodge, Monymusk and Frome — in the wake of recent allegations of 26 bearings going missing from the Monymusk factory in Clarendon.

The dispute was triggered by the sending off of over 130 security guards on paid “discretionary” leave on July 21, and the dismissal of their supervisor. There is also the issue of a proposed redundancy involving 90 more workers, including 30 security guards, across all three factories.

BITU deputy island supervisor, Harold Brown, said that his union was aware that Pan Caribbean had already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a private security firm to provide security services at all three factories. He said that the union was also aware that the contract with the private firm would be for one year, initially, for Frome and Monymusk and six months for Bernard Lodge.

“It is important to note that to date the company has not initiated a formal in-house investigation into the matter, and is yet to discover the missing items,” he pointed out.

Brown said, however, that based on the progress made on Friday, the pre-crop season activities at the factories should remain normal over the next 12 days leading up to the next meeting, although the security guards will continue to protest against their dismissals.

PHOTO: A section of they Monymusk sugar factory

For more on this story go to:

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/politics/Sugar-dispute-hangs-in-the-balance_14813297