Works Minister Meets Unions Friday on Port Issue

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Thursday, 21 June 2012 02:30

By caribarena news

Antigua St John's - Works Minister Trevor Walker is scheduled to meet with unions representing Port Authority workers early on Friday and somehow make progress with a resolution to the financial doldrums that continue to bedevil the port.

Antigua Trades & Labour Union (ATLU) Industrial Relations Officer Ralph Potter says his organisation had offered to assist the Antigua & Barbuda Workers Union (ABWU) in resolving the late-pay situation that resulted in strike action by its longshoremen on Wednesday.

That immediate issue has been put to rest and the longshoremen are back to work, but Potter believes that more long-term solutions must be put in place in order to safeguard against any repetition of this incident in future.

Longshoremen had refused to work on a ship belong to Caribseas, which is owned and operated by former Port Authority Chairman Clarvis Joseph. Joseph is now Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA), and has recently been appointed Chairman of the Board of ABI Holdings Ltd.

On Monday Potter had met with AT&LU workers at the port, and it was at that meeting that the decision was taken to seek the intervention of the Minister.

“That meeting is tentatively set for Friday morning at 9:30 with Trevor Walker, the Minister responsible for the Port,” Potter said, adding that the union has extended an invitation to the ABWU’s workers to attend that meeting to air their grievances as well.

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“The idea is to get the Minister’s involvement in some form of resolution to the issue, which includes the whole question of late payment, the thrift fund, and the longstanding issue of the voluntary severance and early retirement (programme),” Potter explained.

He said the union and the workers it represents feel that nothing is moving forward at the Port. This same sentiment was expressed on Monday by ATLU General Secretary Wigley George.

“We have not heard anything from the management or the board of the port. We feel this has been going on for far too long and it must now come to an end,” Potter said.

He did not say whether or not the union and its workers would engage in strike action if Friday’s meeting does not yield any success.

“We don't think it is in anyone‘s interest to have this going on and on. We are hoping that out of that meeting on Friday the minister would be coming with some ideas or suggestions as to how we can finally have a resolution,” he said.

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