State media workers remain off the job

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Even as they prepare for a meeting this morning with Labour Commissioner Eltonia Rojas, protesting workers at the state-owned ABS Radio and Television say their action will not cease until they are fully satisfied.
Video editors, reporters, technicians and other staff members have stayed off the job for more than a week,  demanding outstanding overtime pay, better working conditions, and the removal of their general manager. Staff from the InformationMinistry’s headquarters in Coolidge and those at the GATE facility also joined the protest, pushing for their own matters.
Today’s meeting with the Labour Commissioner comes at the request of the Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications, Melford Nicholas.
The workers had also requested a meeting with the minister to discuss the issues affecting them, but instead of replying to them directly or to their bargaining agent, the Antigua Trades and Labour Union (AT&LU), Nicholas wrote to the commissioner on December 24th requesting her intervention.
In his letter, Nicholas stated that the ministry was not aware of the issues that led to the action nor were they granted the courtesy of knowing what led to the action.
He noted that, “Accordingly, we are obliged to refer the matter to your good office, and ask your intervention to bring the parties together as soon as practicable under the prevailing circumstances of the holiday season.”
The letter was copied to the general secretary of the AT&LU, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information Joan Joseph, and ABS general manager Erna-Mae Brathwaite.

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