Workers say they were betrayed�
PELICAN--Emotions ran high and tears flowed at Pelican Resort on Thursday when a mob of workers confronted Workers Institute for Organised Labour (WIFOL) President Theophilus Thompson about an agreement he had signed with Royal Resorts close to midnight Wednesday.
The workers were upset that Thompson had agreed with management that 37 of them could be fired, when he had been encouraging them not to sign anything as they were all permanent workers.
The agreement won't be valid until signed by the union's Secretary General, a Pelican staffer, as two signatures are required, it was revealed during the Central Committee of Parliament yesterday.
The workers were also irked that Thompson had signed against the advice of the union and unbeknownst to them. They questioned why Thompson had been the only union representative in negotiations with Pelican officials and Ministers Theo Heyliger and Franklin Meyers.
The workers summoned Thompson to the resort on Thursday after reading about the agreement in yesterday's issue of The Daily Herald. They confronted him about the accord and demanded answers. One worker said that when she had picked up this newspaper the news had hit her like "a ton of bricks." She said she felt betrayed by the union, because the workers had all "been in the struggle together."
The union's legal advisor Bonita Hart, who was not involved in Wednesday night's talks, said during the midst of the meeting that she had advised Thompson against signing the document when he had e-mailed the draft to her.
"I told him if this was the document, please do not sign it," she said. "But he signed another document and he did not consult me about it." Hart said she was just the legal adviser and it was up to Thompson to decide whether to follow her recommendations. She said all of the workers had been in the employ of the new company from December 17 and it represented a continuation of service.
Hart's statements further angered workers, who believed the union president should have followed her advice or at least waited a day to consult with them. "How can you tell us, just the night before, not to sign anything then you go and sign," shouted one worker. "You should have stood your ground. You are creating segregation among the workers."
The workers posed a number of questions during the course of the meeting for clarity on what had been signed and what it meant for them. They wanted to know who were the 37 workers who would lose their jobs and under what conditions. Thompson said no list was available, but he promised to request one from management.
They also demanded to see what had been signed, but Thompson said he did not have the document with him. One worker said the agreement placed them in a precarious situation.
The workers also asked Thompson why he had not consulted with at least one of the shop stewards before. Thompson said he had been acting in their best interest at the time and had been attempting to secure their job security.
Some said they no longer wanted Thompson to represent them. One even suggested calling in an attorney. "I cannot trust you anymore," the worker said. During the midst of the fracas some workers, including a shop steward, broke down in tears.
National Alliance (NA) Parliamentarian George Pantophlet and Christopher Emmanuel, who ran on NA slate during the election last September, were among those who were on hand to listen to the workers' concerns.
The workers were scheduled to meet with Thompson on Thursday evening to ratify the agreement. However, that meeting did not take place due to the meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament at which Thompson was called to give information. The union's meeting with workers is expected to take place this evening. The workers are not likely to ratify the agreement.
Outsourced
Some workers complained that while they had been meeting with Thompson the company had outsourced their jobs to three companies. The workers said this was an indication from the company that it did not need their services.
Simpson Bay Resort Management and Owner Companies Director Jules James confirmed that the work had been outsourced. He said though that the Housekeeping Department was short-staffed and additional workers had been brought in from three locally owned companies to assist. He said work was outsourced when there is a need. This is also done during peak occupancy periods.
James said the company had not yet identified what workers would be dismissed or the manner in which the dismissal process would proceed. He said the bigger picture was that 145 employees would retain their jobs on an indefinite basis.
Speaking about Wednesday's talks, James said it was important that parties maintain dialogue even after the discussions had ended with the mediator, in the best interest of St. Maarten.
Source: http://www.thedailyherald.com/islands/1-islands-news/12699-pelican.html
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