Grand Royal Antiguan workers will receive severance pay, union says

The union representing the 50-plus workers at the Grand Royal Antiguan Resort said it has initiated talks with the former owners in Trinidad & Tobago to secure severance pay, vacation entitlements and other oustanding benefits owed to them.
The 260-room resort, located on the western side of the island, was recently sold to Canadian-based company Sunwing Travel Group, for US $27 million.
This came several came months after government threatened to compulsorily acquire the property.
Deputy General Secretary of the Antigua & Barbuda Workers Union (ABWU) Chester Hughes said the union and the former owners are now crunching the numbers before severance can be finalised.
“We have certified the employment dates and their salaries. We have had meetings with the employees and we have compared our calculations with that of the company and where there were abnormalities, the union and the company came to a consensus about that,” Hughes said.  
The workers are to be paid severance, vacation, and notice pay and other benefits.
The union official was, however, unable to make any guarantees as to future employment opportunities.
“What is happening going forward is uncertain because we don’t know the new owners and what the plans are for the property. For us to make a determination as to what is going to happen would be very difficult at this point in time,” Hughes said.
 
(More in today’s Daily Observer)