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Monday, September 08, 2008
MONTEGO BAY, St James - Sanitation workers in St James who went on strike last Friday in protest over the dismissal of a colleague, resumed work yesterday following an ultimatum from head of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), Joan Gordon-Webley.
On Saturday, the tough-talking Webley told the 600 unionised workers that they could either report to work within 48 hours or join the unemployment line. The ultimatum would have expired today.
Up to late yesterday evening Webley and other top-level officials were locked in a meeting.
Regional head of the NSWMA, Milverton Munroe, told the Observer that a meeting between the workers and their union - the University and Allied Workers Union (UAWU) - was planned for today. Last week, the workers and their union had demanded a meeting to air their grouses before the resumption of work. However Webley, who along with local NSWMA and Parish Council officials scrambled Saturday to round up contractors and individuals to undertake a clean-up of the city, said she would not give in to their demands.
Further, Webley alleged that the worker in question was caught stealing from the company, and was adamant the employee would not be reinstated. She said a businessman had allegedly observed the worker in question collecting a cheque for distribution of garbage for which the NSWMA already pays him, and he had subsequently abandoned his job for 22 days.
MONTEGO BAY, St James - Sanitation workers in St James who went on strike last Friday in protest over the dismissal of a colleague, resumed work yesterday following an ultimatum from head of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), Joan Gordon-Webley.
On Saturday, the tough-talking Webley told the 600 unionised workers that they could either report to work within 48 hours or join the unemployment line. The ultimatum would have expired today.
Up to late yesterday evening Webley and other top-level officials were locked in a meeting.
Regional head of the NSWMA, Milverton Munroe, told the Observer that a meeting between the workers and their union - the University and Allied Workers Union (UAWU) - was planned for today. Last week, the workers and their union had demanded a meeting to air their grouses before the resumption of work. However Webley, who along with local NSWMA and Parish Council officials scrambled Saturday to round up contractors and individuals to undertake a clean-up of the city, said she would not give in to their demands.
Further, Webley alleged that the worker in question was caught stealing from the company, and was adamant the employee would not be reinstated. She said a businessman had allegedly observed the worker in question collecting a cheque for distribution of garbage for which the NSWMA already pays him, and he had subsequently abandoned his job for 22 days.
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