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Royalton implements measures to resolve some staff issues

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Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, Resident Manager of Royalton Resorts Alvan Anderson and Senior Tourism Advisor Delano Seiveright
By Racquel Porter    
 
Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett says progress has been made in regards to resolving the labour dispute at Royalton hotels in Negril and Trelawny which forced hundreds of workers to stay off the job on National Heroes Day.
 
The workers protested against low wages, the absence of canteen facilities and poor management and employee relations.
 
Normality returned to the properties on Tuesday following meetings with executives of Blue Diamond International, the operator of Royalton.
 
Senior tourism officials, including Minister Bartlett, met with members of Royalton Negril's management team and select staff on Wednesday morning. 
 
"There are some resolutions that have been made in relation to creature comforts and some cash flow injection that will enable certain facilities that were lacking, to be provided," the minister disclosed.  
 
Mr. Bartlett said the ministry will be looking at labour market arrangements on Thursday.
 
He added that there is greater need for contracts between employer and employees to be defined, and suggested mutual respect between management and staff would create the best atmosphere for productivity and higher outcomes.  
 
Resident Manager of Royalton Resorts Alvan Anderson said measures have been implemented to correct some of the issues, including an increased budget and more supervision for the staff canteen. 
 
"We spoke about their well-being; there is no social life and so forth.... Going forward this month or maybe going to next month, we are looking at opening up a gym so our staff can go and be a part of that," he said, adding that a barbershop will be set up on property for staff.
 
Mr. Anderson said workers' pay and gratuity will also be increased. 
 
Minimal impact on tourism
 
Senior Advisor in the Ministry of Tourism, Delano Seiveright, said if workers had continued their protest, it could have had a negative effect on the tourism sector. 
 
Noting that the issue was contained "largely in the local social media domains", he said the impact of the protest on tourism was minimal. 
 
"Yes, some persons overseas may have seen it, but from a broad tourism perspective the impact is at best minimal. If it had gone on for longer no doubt it would have become a challenge for the destination - and we did get some calls from some tour operators - but the protests...were short-lived." 
 
Mr. Seiveright said the Ministries of Tourism and Labour will have further discussion on some of the issues raised by the staff at Royalton hotels.
 


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