THE MEMBERSHIP of the Jamaica Gasolene Retailers Association (JGRA) deserve the strongest condemnation for inciting islandwide traffic mayhem on Wednesday evening. The threat of a two-day closure of petrol stations triggered islandwide chaos as motorists were panicked into getting petrol supplies, snarling traffic throughout the Corporate Area and other townships.
What is particularly reprehensible is that the initial dispute between the gas station retailers of Esso products was deliberately widened to embrace the whole sector. It was a misguided effort to promote solidarity among the membership and it prompted a warning from the Fair Trading Commission (FTC).
Acting in the face of the street frenzy of long traffic lines, the FTC cited Section 18 of the Fair Competition Act which prohibits "persons in competition with each other from agreeing to restrict or limit the supply of goods or services ..." The million-dollar penalties for which offenders are liable indicate the seriousness of the breaches involved.
The Ministry of Labour intervened in the matter, summoning an emergency meeting Wednesday night although, as we understand it, there was no industrial dispute involved within the meaning of the Labour Relations and Industrial Disputes Act.
In that sense the initial closure of Esso gas stations and the contemplated shutdown of all other stations were not strikes as defined in the law, involving a dispute between employers and workers. The JGRA itself is a registered trade union of employers. But their behaviour in this matter betrayed the irresponsibility of unions at odds with an employer.
The Labour Ministry, we suspect, acted from a sense of apprehension about the possible effect on the national interest that a restriction of petrol supplies would entail. An indication of the dire consequences was seen in the mad rush on petrol stations. The chaotic state of the evening traffic in Kingston was in the same league as illegal roadblocks used as a weapon of protest. Responsible employers should not make use of this kind of tactic which engenders public inconvenience and potential emergencies.
It was useful in the circumstances that the Labour Ministry intervened and secured an agreement to stall the gas station closures and initiate some arbitration of the dispute. But the type of reckless protest which penalises the uninvolved citizenry and endangers public safety should not be condoned.
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