Workers at another hotel stage wage protest

By Nakinskie Robinson   

 

The protest action among hotel workers has spilled over into a third month, with employees from Grand Decameron Cornwall Beach, in Montego Bay, St. James taking to the streets on Friday morning to press their union and management for better pay and benefits.

 

The workers assigned to the morning shift walked off the job, arguing that the union representing them lacks teeth and continues to relent in relation to demands for increased wages, staff transportation, health benefits and better treatment.

 

Radio Jamaica News understands that some workers are earning in excess of US$3.50 per hour.

 

One of the employees told Radio Jamaica News that the hotel's management promised to address their concerns. 

 

"The head of the hotel right now call some of our staff and speak to them and say they are going to do something for us when union come, but don't know when we are going to get a raise or get something that we are out here standing up for," she complained. 

 

The woman urged the union to "stand up for the people" as she called for the hotel to increase gratuity from $5,000 and pleaded for workers to get better health benefits.   

 

She also argued that tenured staff have been neglected for newcomers. 

 

"You have staff here from Jack Tar days and now it's Grand Decameron. Who is in here from Jack Tar is going like 10 years without bonus, and who just a come a get.... The hotel say that they are giving out raise and they wait until the government give the minimum wage to raise. They were paying $3.25 an hour and they are giving who came after more, and they cannot do the work. We have to be training them over," she lamented. 

 

The workers eventually resumed duties. 

 

A meeting is scheduled for Monday between the hotel's management and the union representing staff. 

 

More than 200 people are employed to the hotel.