Union threatens shutdown at VINLEC

At the stroke of midnight on Wednesday August 15, this country could experience one of the biggest blackouts ever, that is, if 210 of the 289 workers at the St Vincent and the Grenadines Electrical Services (VINLEC) go on a threatened “collective withdrawal of labour.”{{more}}

This declaration of a strike action was made in a letter dated August 2 from the National Workers Movement (NWM) to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of VINLEC Thornley Myers.

It is not clear how long this “withdrawal of labour” will last, but in a press conference on Wednesday August 8, Myers said that such a move by VINLEC workers, could send a bad signal to the manufacturing industry and cause uneasiness in the economic climate for investors.

Obviously trying not to alarm the general public, Myers noted that “lighting” was also necessary for safety and said that if this “withdrawal of labour” by workers was eminent, there could be massive implications and distress in the area of security for the nation.

Myers also pointed out that consumers who have refrigerated items would also feel the sting of not having electricity, since their perishable items would be spoilt.

He emphasized, “We touch every aspect of growth and livelihood and the impact of not having the country’s sole electricity provider is inconceivable.”

He stressed that such a move by the disgruntled workers who were represented by the NWM would cost mainly the consumers at a time when electricity rates were already high.

Myers pointed out that paying the same amount of money to persons who take early retirement as those who retire at the full retirement age of 60, was unfair and would cost the company. He said that those who retire early should instead get severance pay for years worked. Myers stated that a clear definition of what was retirement was outlined in the Protection of Employment Act and the laws of this country and that VINLEC “could not” pay severance for years “not worked.”

The VINLEC CEO claimed that there was a discrepancy in the clause and this led to one of the main reasons for the dispute. He however said that when early retirement is offered, VINLEC would give their employees all of the benefits associated with their type of their retirement.

Myers said that VINLEC provides a private pension scheme and medical bank for their employees as well as a host of other benefits.

He admitted that although the issue of early retirement has been unresolved for the past five years, VINLEC’s relationship with the NWM dates back to over 25 years and there has always been cordial respect.

He said that negotiations have gone a long way and that VINLEC and the NWM were not at war but were only in industrial dispute and both institutions had a great deal of respect for each other but were unable to arrive at a solution satisfactory to both sides.

Myers said, it has now been agreed that the matter be settled by arbitration at the Trades Dispute Tribunal.

Representing the union would be Jomo Thomas, VINLEC would be represented by Burns Bonadie as an independent, while the government would be represented by Cecily Saunders.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Douglas Cole said that it would be a sad state if VINLEC only considered the needs of their employees and did not consider the needs of their customers. He said that VINLEC has been trying to reduce and control costs and was cognizant of the financial impact the public would feel, if they gave into the NWM.

However, General Secretary of the NWM, Noel Jackson in an interview with Searchlight said that the argument given by VINLEC that giving early retirement to members of their staff would “cost not only the company but also the consumers” was VINLEC’s way of seeking sympathy from the public.

The Union leader said that over the past five years VINLEC has been “dragging” the matter and have been distorting the facts in the memorandum given by the Attorney General, which stated that “Early retirement maybe allowed at the discretion of the employer and shall count as normal retirement.”

He said that to pay employees for their years of dedicated service is “deserving” and should not affect the consumers since VINLEC was a profitable company.

In a disgusted tone of voice, Jackson described the claims of “higher price to consumers” by VINLEC as “nonsense and dishonesty.”

Since May of this year, the NWM declared what it described as a dispute with the company on differences of interpretation of the Memorandum of Understanding. The NWM, which represents over 70% of VINLEC’s staff, is disgruntled over three areas, specific to Clause A of Section 4A and B of the collective agreement which deals with retirement, redundancy and severance pay.