Local construction firm Preconco Limited was at the centre of labour relations issues on Friday – including being sued by two of its former employees for wrongful dismissal.
In a separate development, Preconco and the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) reached agreement on a dispute over a pay cut.
Mark Blenman and Edson Forde have placed the company in the hands of the Employment Rights Tribunal (ERT) for redress, claiming they were fired unfairly.
Both cases, which came before the tribunal yesterday and today, were adjourned without dates being set.
Preconco’s lawyer Ryan Moseley told the panel of commissioners, chaired by retired High Court and Appeals Court Justice Christopher Blackman, that he has to take further instructions from his client before proceeding with the two matters.
Blenman appeared Thursday in person, while BWU Deputy General Secretary Dwaine Paul represented Forde on Friday morning.
On the pay dispute, Minister of Labour Colin Jordan told Barbados TODAY that both sides were able to settle their differences amicably and are now working on improving relations.
At a lengthy meeting on Wednesday and a brief one on Friday under his chairmanship, the disputing parties succeeded in thrashing out their areas of concern.
The two sides “agreed to a date and regime for restoring the wages, thereby making the workers of the Barbados Workers’ Union bargaining unit whole again,” a joint statement said.
The statement noted that the dispute which was referred to the Labour Department on May 18th, resulted in an impasse due to a misunderstanding on the outcome at the end of a meeting of May 14th.
“During the meetings of June 24th and 26th under the chairmanship of the Minister of Labour and Social Partnership Relations these differences and misunderstandings were amicably resolved and the parties agreed to a date and regime for restoring the wages, thereby making the workers of the Barbados Workers’ Union Bargaining Unit whole again,” the parties announced.
But both sides declined to elaborate on the date for restoring the pay cuts and the regime.
Only a week ago, the BWU’s Dwaine Paul warned of a labour shutdown over the unilateral cutting of workers’ wages and salaries by employers across the country.
On that occasion, he said such action would not only be against Preconco, but all other companies guilty of slashing workers pay without consultation and agreement.
emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb
