WORKERS SAY ISSUES NOT FULLY RESOLVED
MORNING NEGOTIATION MEETING PLANNED
RUNAWAY BAY, St Ann; Nov. 23, 2024
Normality returned Saturday morning, November 23, 2024, to two hotels hit by work stoppages Friday, in St Ann.
The brief strike by workers at Jewel Paradise Cove and Bahia Principe both in Runaway Bay was over low pay, contracts and poor working conditions. The hotels are within three miles of each other in Runaway Bay, St Ann.
(Late evening negotiation meeting Friday at Bahia)
However, workers spoken to by the North Coast Times said their grievances had not all been attended to.
At Bahia where workers stayed off the job for hours from mid-afternoon into late evening, managers and some supervisors had to take up kitchen and other duties to serve guests left unattended.
The workers at Jewel Paradise Cove walked off from early morning and again later Friday after a meeting with the management was aborted. Workers say during the Friday morning meeting when they were called back to discuss their issues a senior management official made what were deemed “disrespectful” comments that led to the second walk out.
Negotiations took place up to late evening, Friday, with workers represented by the Bustamante Industrial Trades Union at Bahia Principe.
(Jewel Paradise workers during second walk out Friday)
The Times learned that increased wages of up to 17 percent were offered but rejected. There was little progress on changing the practice of extended contracts, rather than employment on staff, being offered to workers.
Senior overseas managers of Bahia were at the property this week following reports that staff there were planning to strike.
Watch as Jewel Paradise Cove workers protest on the main road at Salem Runaway Bay
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