The US Embassy in Kingston
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UCASE President Vincent Morrison
By Clinton McGregor
The more than 200 diplomatic guards assigned to the US Embassy in Kingston, who took strike action Tuesday, have returned to work.
The guards, who are represented by the Union of Clerical Administrative and Supervisory Employees (UCASE), stayed off the job Tuesday to protest the breakdown in wage negotiations.
UCASE and G4S Guardsman joint venture, which includes Washington based G4S Guardsman and Guardsman Group, have been in negotiations since July.
UCASE President Vincent Morrison told Radio Jamaica News that the guards resumed duties Wednesday morning following a back to work order from the Ministry of Labour.
"They have instructed the guards to resume normality and they have in fact resumed full normality starting on the 7:00 a.m. shift this morning," he said.
Another meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday to continue negotiations.
Mr. Morrison hopes "common sense will prevail" and a deal can be reached at that time for the 210 security guards.
The UCASE president explained that Guardsman Group, which has a five-year contract with the embassy, has offered the guards 10 per cent in the first year, zero per cent in the second and five per cent each over the remaining three years.
The offer in year two was adjusted to a lump sum payment of $150,000 during a wage negotiation meeting Monday night.
But Mr. Morrison said the guards rejected that offer.
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