Once again workers push for better pay at Kingston Freeport Terminal

Many workers at Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited have called in sick today as they take a stand for better salaries.

The STAR understands that several production workers called in sick today.

There was a similar work stoppage on Monday, which saw the workers returning to their jobs on Wednesday.

Their action today arose from talks reportedly held yesterday between their union, the Trade Union Congress, and the company's management.

The workers have accused the union of failing to communicate and acting outside their interests.

At the centre of the workers' contention is a proposed salary increase arising from a job evaluation, which they say unfairly excludes some of their colleagues.

The exercise covers 2020 to 2024 and would see workers receiving a cumulative 9.2 per cent increase.

This has been rejected by the workers.

The STAR understands that during the meeting yesterday, the company proposed increasing the number of workers who would benefit from the evaluation exercise and making the sums retroactive to January 2024, not 2020.

The company also reportedly proposed a one-time bonus of three weeks' pay instead of two.

The union reportedly disagreed with the proposal, arguing that the original agreement was based on a 2020 implementation date, not 2024, and they want to adhere to that.

It also reportedly stated that only 20 per cent of workers would benefit from the company's proposed increase, leaving the majority of employees without any adjustment to their pay, except for the one-time bonus.

The union's main concern is adjusting workers' regular salaries, not a one-time bonus.

It has reportedly asserted that the job evaluation is about setting fair, ongoing salary rates, not bonuses, and that it should not be mixed with the company's bonus proposal.

The union wants the company to honour the original agreement of increasing the salaries of all workers.

Efforts by The STAR since last week to reach Barry Dawes, general secretary of Trade Union Congress, the employees' bargaining unit, have been unsuccessful.

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