By Charminae George
Armed with placards that displayed their reasons for refusing to work, approximately 12 workers at Frank B Armstrong Ltd protested outside the company’s Factory Road premises yesterday.
This was their second consecutive day of demonstrating their dissatisfaction with the progress and lack of communication from management on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
According to Hugh Joseph, Industrial Relations Officer for the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union (ABWU), the union has been trying to negotiate a new bargaining agreement for approximately 10 years. In the early stages of negotiations, Joseph stated that the company had informed the union of its final position.
“One of the things he did was to write to us early in the negotiations to say that this is the company’s final position. Now you cannot negotiate in good faith, and early out you’re writing to say ‘this is our final position’, Joseph said, adding that some of the agreements initially agreed upon were never honoured.
Joseph also mentioned that on one occasion, the matter had reached the Industrial Court. However, before the matter was heard, there was an agreement (consent order). Whether or not the consent order was honoured is still under investigation, as Mr Armstrong and the workers have given differing answers.
Additionally, Joseph explained that as of April 13, 2023, the union was not contacted. However, in a meeting with the company and the shop steward last week, the company alleged that they had only heard from the union the same day of the meeting, via a letter in the mail.
“We are [accustomed to] communicating via email. A letter is typed, is scanned and sent to them via email, they acknowledge receipt and you put the letter in the mail,” Joseph said in response to the company’s allegations.
Observer contacted Frank B Armstrong for comment, to which a representative said that they have no information, and the situation is being dealt between the union and management.
