By John Myers, Jnr. Freelance WriterCLARENDON:
ABOUT 300 construction workers employed on the US$115 million expansion project at the Jamalco bauxite-alumina refinery, Halse Hall, Clarendon, are to return to work today, ending a two-day strike for improved pay.
Agreement for the work resumption followed a two-hour meeting between the management of Kier/CCC, the construction company in charge of the expansion, and the workers.
Also attending the meeting were Ruddy Spencer, Member of Parliament for Clarendon South East and vice-president of the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU), and Councillor Milton Brown. Halse Hall is in south east Clarendon. The workers are not unionised.
The contractors agreed yesterday to provide the workers with adequate supplies of protective and safety equipment and tools. They are to report back to the workers on Monday on their claim for a four per cent increase on hourly rates, as well as their request for the removal of the construction supervisor.
The workers withdrew their services Wednesday, after they claimed that the management had refused to enter into dialogue with them about a cut in their wage and fringe benefits. They claimed that Kier/CCC had slashed the wages of first class tradesmen from $320 per hour to $258 per hour and reduced those of ordinary workers from $206 per hour to $142 per hour.
In addition to the wage cut, the workers are disgruntled about a cut in fringe benefits such as medical, laundry, uniform, insurance and discomfort allowances, and were also calling for construction supervisor, Dorrel Hunky, to be removed.
Mr. Spencer said the contractors had promised to monitor the behaviour of the construction supervisor. Efforts to get a comment from the contractors yesterday failed. Negotiations are scheduled to continue on Monday.
