Walkout endorsed

The Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) has thrown its full support behind workers from Massy Distribution who walked off the job this morning.

The scores of workers at the main distribution branch on the Mighty Grynner Highway, St Michael, said the situation came to a boil following a breakdown in talks today with the company’s management over salary and unsatisfactory working conditions.

Some of their concerns relate to employees being subjected to working in hot conditions in the warehouse, which they also claim is in dire need of industrial cleaning.

In a statement released this evening, BWU general secretary Senator Toni Moore said the workers’ actions had been fully endorsed by the union.

“The union became aware of a work stoppage at Massy Distribution earlier this afternoon. The work stoppage followed a meeting earlier in the morning to address a number of outstanding issues in a
negotiation.

“While it would appear at first sight that the stoppage only has to do with a dispute over wages settlement, a meeting held with the workers at the union later in the afternoon revealed that while that is definitely an issue, there are several other underlying issues which would demand urgent attention at a more senior level of management,” Moore said.

“At the time of this statement, the union has written to the company communicating that the executive council of the BWU has given full support to the workers’ actions taken today and requesting a meeting at its earliest availability, possibly tomorrow, to address the outstanding concerns. We await a response from the company,” the statement said.
randybennett@barbadostoday.bb