NHT workers continue industrial action a second day

 

Ancillary, clerical and administrative staff at the National Housing Trust (NHT) extended their nationwide industrial action into a second day Friday, disrupting some services, following a collapse in wage and benefits negotiations. 

 

The workers, who are represented by the NHT Staff Association and the University and Allied Workers' Union (UAWU) went on sick out on Thursday, accusing NHT management of not negotiating in good faith.

 

According to the workers, they feel disrespected by the management of the 50-year-old state agency after the date of a planned meeting was changed without notice to their union. 

 

Radio Jamaica News spoke with UAWU's Third Vice President Garfield Harvey, who said the parties are at odds due to the failure of the NHT to provide information requested by the union. 

 

"They have offered 2 per cent in year one, 4 per cent in year two, and they have proposed that third year at 4 per cent as well. We have told them that we are willing to accept 20 per cent over three years. We made a clear for two years, not three, but if we're going to go to three years, we'll accept 20 per cent over three years. But we've also said to them that they need to give us some information that shows what the increases would mean for each member of the bargaining unit and some other information that we have requested, which is normal for negotiations," noted Mr. Harvey.  

 

"We asked for this information weeks ago," he explained. "They gave us a one-pager in our last meeting last Friday. We said to them, no, this is not what we asked for. As we speak, that information has still not been provided to us and that is the reason why the workers took the action they have taken."

 

The Ministry of Labour has called the parties to a meeting on Monday in a bid to settle the impasse.