(Jamaica Gleaner) The Labour Ministry says it is assessing the protests being staged by workers at three of Jamaica’s sugar factories operated by the Chinese-owned Pan Caribbean Sugar Company.
Permanent Secretary Alvin McIntosh told The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre that he is leading the team assessing the situation.
The workers are calling for the company to withdraw letters issued on Sunday placing 132 security guards on discretionary leave with pay and the subsequent hiring of private security guards as replacements.
Three unions, the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) the National Workers’ Union and the University and Allied Workers’ Union have been leading the protests at the Monymusk, Bernard Lodge and Frome sugar factories.
BITU’s deputy island supervisor, Harold Brown, says Sunday’s action by the sugar company follows a redundancy exercise on Friday in which 90 positions were axed. He says a meeting with the management yesterday ended without a resolution as the company refused to reinstate the workers pending further discussions.
He says this is the latest in a less than smooth relationship between workers and the sugar company since its takeover of the factories in 2010.
The BITU executive says the protest should be a signal that the issue must be settled before cane reaping season.
