NWU and JPS look to resolve impasse

By Halshane Burke    

 

The stakeholders are to return to the Ministry of Labour on Thursday to resolve the impasse between the National Workers Union (JPS) and the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS). 

 

The Labour Ministry intervened after the union served a 72-hour strike notice on the management of the company.

 

NWU General Secretary Granville Valentine says there was some movement in the talks. 

 

"What entails now is that we have had certainly an understanding. But the team that came to the Ministry will have to go back to their principals to ensure that they get the go-ahead to reach an agreement on these. It is the reasonable expectation that the company should come on Wednesday at the Ministry of Labour at 11 o'clock, with a view of signing off on these outstanding matters. 

 

"We are expecting that normalcy on all sides will be maintained since we are under the auspices of the Ministry now, but it doesn't mean that the workers are not still restive," Mr. Valentine cautioned. 

 

According to the union, the dispute arose after the positions of 30 contract workers were not converted to permanent despite an agreement in place for the conversion.