Unions seek recognition

CANA Online, 22 April 2000

Kingstown - The National Workers Movement (NWM) has moved a step closer to being recognised as the bargaining agent for workers at Trotman's Electronics.

Last Thursday, the Department of Labour conducted a trade union recognition poll among workers at business house?s premises, in response to a claim presented by the NWM.

The poll was conducted at three locations within the company.

Forty-two persons were eligible to vote, and of this number, 39 actually voted. Twenty-five voted to have the NWM as their bargaining agent, while fourteen voted against.

This means that the Union gained 61 percent of the votes cast.

The local trade union practice dictates that the union must gain 50 percent plus one to be recognised as the bargaining for that company?s employees.

In other trade union recognition news, the NWM has completed negotiations for the first collective agreement with Wills Agencies on behalf of workers employed with the company.

The three-year agreement comes into effect today (June 1st). It covers a wide range of areas including wages and salaries, overtime payment, various forms of leave and group insurance.

Under the agreement, the workers will receive a 15 percent salary increase over three years - five percent each year.

Another workers? representative body, the Commercial Technical and Allied Workers Union, (CTAWU), has written to the Managing Director of Richardson Motors at Arnos Vale, Mr. Fitz Richardson, seeking recognition as the Bargaining Agent for workers employed there.

The CTAWU is claiming an eighty percent majority membership among the workers.

The CTAWU has recently gained recognition, as the bargaining agent for workers at the GECCU Shell Service Station at Granby Street in Kingstown, and also for workers at the Automotive Co-operative Society, at Bentick Square, Kingstown.