All appeared to be well at the Barbados Energy & Sugar Company at Portvale Factory yesterday morning.
Caswell Franklyn, general secretary of the Unity Workers’ Union, told the MIDWEEK NATION workers who were refused entry on Monday because they had not signed a new employment contract, reported to work without incident.
On Monday, Franklyn and a group of 19 went to the Labour Department after the workers were denied entry. He charged that the new contract was “illegal”, pointing out that it contained certain terms and conditions which were “against the law”.
“The matter is at the Labour Department,” Franklyn said, adding that he had also submitted a list of names there indicating who was represented by his union.
In a press release issued on Monday, management at the sugar company confirmed that revised contracts were issued to the employees.
“As of [Monday’s] date, 69 employees have signed and returned their contracts, and in turn were issued with company uniforms and staff identification cards. There remains a group of 17 employees who, on the advice of another source, have refused to sign their revised contracts. Consequently, they have not been issued uniforms or staff ID cards,” it stated.
(MB)