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407 JUTC workers to lose jobs
BY TANEISHA LEWIS Observer staff reporter editorial@jamaicaobserver.com
Monday, January 14, 2008
SOME 407 Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) employees are to lose their jobs, following an agreement reached yesterday at a meeting with the management of the cash-strapped bus company and the University and Allied Workers Union (UAWU), which represents the majority of the workers.
Transport Minister Mike Henry told the Observer yesterday that although representatives from the National Workers Union (NWU) - which represents 60 workers at the state-run company - were absent for yesterday's meeting, he would be holding further discussions with them to finalise the agreement.
"It was agreed that there will be a procedure to lay-off workers ... some of whom are National Worker's Union workers and some of whom have intimated they will probably accept redundancy," Henry said, adding that he had asked the union to accelerate the process of selecting the 407 persons before Cabinet goes on a retreat Thursday.
"Both the unions and the management have agreed to exchange the details that are necessary to arrive at a clear understanding under the procedure of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and what is required between now and Thursday," the minister said.
Additionally, he said the unions had advised him that there were some employees who may have requested to be made redundancy, whose names may not be among the 407 brought to the MOU.
"It (the process) will be opened up to see who it is that wants redundancy, assess that overall, and then respond through the ministry," Henry said.
Meanwhile, Clifton Grant, first vice president of the UAWU, told the Observer yesterday that the process would begin with the workers being given seven days to apply for voluntary redundancy. "The first option we will work with is voluntary redundancy," he emphasised.
There are more than 2,000 employees at the JUTC.
"What they have said to us is that, based on the number of units in service now and the numbers that they would arrive at after rehabilitation and new buses that at that point, they would have excess staff and, therefore, we have agreed to continue discussions in terms of the options to be used in order to reduce the workforce," Grant explained.
BY TANEISHA LEWIS Observer staff reporter editorial@jamaicaobserver.com
Monday, January 14, 2008
SOME 407 Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) employees are to lose their jobs, following an agreement reached yesterday at a meeting with the management of the cash-strapped bus company and the University and Allied Workers Union (UAWU), which represents the majority of the workers.
Transport Minister Mike Henry told the Observer yesterday that although representatives from the National Workers Union (NWU) - which represents 60 workers at the state-run company - were absent for yesterday's meeting, he would be holding further discussions with them to finalise the agreement.
"It was agreed that there will be a procedure to lay-off workers ... some of whom are National Worker's Union workers and some of whom have intimated they will probably accept redundancy," Henry said, adding that he had asked the union to accelerate the process of selecting the 407 persons before Cabinet goes on a retreat Thursday.
"Both the unions and the management have agreed to exchange the details that are necessary to arrive at a clear understanding under the procedure of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and what is required between now and Thursday," the minister said.
Additionally, he said the unions had advised him that there were some employees who may have requested to be made redundancy, whose names may not be among the 407 brought to the MOU.
"It (the process) will be opened up to see who it is that wants redundancy, assess that overall, and then respond through the ministry," Henry said.
Meanwhile, Clifton Grant, first vice president of the UAWU, told the Observer yesterday that the process would begin with the workers being given seven days to apply for voluntary redundancy. "The first option we will work with is voluntary redundancy," he emphasised.
There are more than 2,000 employees at the JUTC.
"What they have said to us is that, based on the number of units in service now and the numbers that they would arrive at after rehabilitation and new buses that at that point, they would have excess staff and, therefore, we have agreed to continue discussions in terms of the options to be used in order to reduce the workforce," Grant explained.