Jamaica Public Service Company Ltd v National Workers Union of Jamacia & the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union

• Jurisdiction: Jamaica
• Judge: Lynch, C.,Plant, R.,White, R.
• Judgment Date: 11 November 1975
• Court: Industrial Dispute Tribunal (Jamaica)
• Docket Number: IDT 93 of 1975
• Date: 11 November 1975

Industrial Dispute Tribunal

Lynch, C.; Plant, R.; White, R.

IDT 93 of 1975

Jamaica Public Service Company Limited

and

National Workers Union of Jamacia & the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union

Labour Law - Industrial Disputes — Wage Increases

Labour Law - Industrial Disputes — Improved Fringe Benefits

REFERENCE:

1 On the 24th September, 1975, the Honourable Minister, of Labour and Employment acting in accordance with section 9(6) of the Tribunal Relations and Industrial Dispute Act, referred to the Tribunal for settlement, an industrial dispute involving the Employers and the hourly paid employees, of the Company jointly represented by the Trade Unions.

2 The Division of the Tribunal selected in accordance with section 8(2) of the Act to determine the dispute was comprised as follows:

Mr. B.W. Lynch	—	Chairman
Mr. Owen Plant	—	Employers' Representative
Mr. Dorrel White	—	Workers' Representative

With the following Terms of Reference: “To settle the dispute between Jamaica Public Service Company Limited on the one hand, and the hourly-paid employees of the said Company represented jointly by the National Workers Union of Jamaica and the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union on the other hand.”

PARTIES:

3 The Jamaica Public Service Company Limited was represented by –

• Mr. Robert Baugh — Legal

• Mr. Leroy Brown

• Mr. B. F. Smikle

4 The Unions were represented by –

Senator Carlyle Dunkley	—	N.W.U.
Mr. Lascelles Perry	—	N.W.U.
Hon. H. L. Shearer	—	B.I.T.U.
Senator Pearnel Charles	—	B.I.T.U.
Mr. Errol Anderson	—	B.I.T.U.

HISTORY:

5 In April, 1975, the Trade Union submitted a thirty-four point claim on the Company for wage increases and improved fringe benefits on behalf of the categories of employees which they presented.

6 Despite a number of meetings between the parties at the local level, no agreement was reached anal on the 19th September the dispute was reported to the Minister of Labour and Employment by the Company.

7 On 22nd September hourly paid shift workers at the Hunts Say Power Station ceased working and on the following day a1l other hourly paid workers and all clerical and certain other categories also ceased working, This work stoppage was immediately reported to the Minister by the Company.

8 At a conciliatory meeting at the Ministry on 24 ^th September, 1975, the parties failed to resolve the matter and the dispute was accordingly referred to the Tribunal for settlement.

SITTINGS:

9 The Tribunal met at 2.00 p.m. on the same day (i.e. 24 ^th September) and issued an Order under...