KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Union of Clerical, Administrative and Supervisory Personnel (UCASE) has written the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS), complaining of intimidation of UC Rusal employees expected to participate in a bargaining rights poll scheduled for today.

The ministry has confirmed that plans are going ahead to conduct the poll, as follows: Ewarton Works and Port Esquivel, St Catherine between 7:00 am and 5:30 pm; Kirkvine Works, Manchester, and the Schwallenburgh Mines in Faith’s Pen, St Ann from 7:00 am to 12:00 noon.

However, in a letter to the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Colette K Roberts-Risden on Monday, UCASE’s President Vincent Morrison said that the union is concerned about several developments taking place at the UC Rusal facilities since the poll dates were fixed.

He said that the union has “serious concerns”, and was seeking the Ministry’s assistance in “reining in and/or restraining the management from continuing to use intimidatory tactics at the UC Rusal facilities”.

Among the complaints made by the union, were that passes for a number of employees were withdrawn on Friday, denying them access to the plant.

“Over 120 employees have been laid off by the management and their passes to their work places have been withdrawn,” Morrison told the ministry.

He said that this was an unusual situation as, in the past, workers who were laid off would retain their passes until they are recalled to work.

OBSERVER ONLINE was unable to get a response from UC Rusal yesterday evening. 

However, a spokesman for the ministry said that the poll was going ahead and that whatever issues arise from the holding of the poll will have to be dealt with under the Labour Relations and Industrial Disputes Act (LRIDA).

Over 600 employees of Russian bauxite/alumina giant, UC Rusal, are scheduled to take part in today’s poll.

Balford Henry