Seprod Ltd & Caribbean Products Company Ltd v Bustamante Industrial Trade Union
Jurisdiction | Jamaica |
Judge | Martin, C. |
Judgment Date | 25 July 1977 |
Court | Industrial Dispute Tribunal (Jamaica) |
Docket Number | No. 11 of 1977 |
Date | 25 July 1977 |
Industrial Disputes Tribunal
Martin, C.
No. 11 of 1977
Labour law - Industrial disputes — Wage increases.
The Honourable Minister of Labour, by letter dated 14 th June 1977 in accordance with Section 11 of Labour Relations and Industrial Disputes Act, 1975 referred to the Industrial Disputes Tribunal for settlement, an industrial dispute between the EMPLOYER and the TRADE UNION.
The Terms of Reference to the Tribunal are as follows:
“To determine and settle the dispute between Seprod Limited and Caribbean Products Company Limited on the one hand, and the Production Workers employed by the Companies and represented by the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union on the other hand, over the claim served on the Companies by the Union for wage increases and the duration of such increases, having regard to the Union's revised proposal and the Companies' counter-offer.”
The division of the Tribunal selected in accordance with Section 8(2) of the Act was–
Dr. John Martin
—
Chairman
Mr. J. Murray Harris
—
Employers' Representative
Mr. Headley Allman
—
Workers' Representative
The Employer was represented by–
Mr. Emil George (legal)
Mr. Victor Harris
Mr. Vernon Grizzle
Mrs. Joyce Williams
The Trade Union was represented by–
The Rt. Honourable Hugh Shearer
Mr. Clifton Clarke
Several Workers/Delegates
Written briefs were submitted by both parties to the dispute. Oral submissions were made by both parties to the dispute at four sittings of the Tribunal on 22nd June, 28th June, 8th July and 14th July, 1977.
The Company and the Union were parties to a Collective Labour Agreement which expired on 30th September, 1976.
By letter dated 28th September 1976, the Union served on the Company a 21-point claim which included a demand for a 100% wage increase on a one-year contract.
A series of meetings were held at the local level and under the auspices of the conciliation services at the Ministry of Labour between November 8 1976 and June 1977.
During these prolonged negotiations the Union eventually reduced its claim for wage increases to Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) per week across-the-board on a one year and nine months duration contract. The Company eventually increased its offer from Ten Dollars ($10.00)...
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