THE labour unions and Alpart have struck an accord on six of eight contentious issues, and the strike notices on the company are "in "abeyance" pending a meeting with workers at the bauxite plant today.

DACOSTA... the clock has just stopped ticking, for now

The management of Alpart (Alumina Partners), the National Workers Union (NWU) and the Union of Technical, Administrative and Supervisory Personnel (UTASP) met at the labour ministry at mid-morning Saturday until about 3:00 am Sunday, in a last ditch effort to forestall a strike that would have begun today.

Last night, NWU vice president Norman Dacosta said the six areas of agreement have temporarily brought peace between Alpart and both unions.

The unions had served strike notice on the bauxite/alumina company Friday, after Alpart stripped some supervisors of the authority to substitute workers for crew members who are unable to work late shifts because of obligations such as evening classes.

The six agreed terms are:
. a return to the former practice of having workers provide 'fit-to-resume' passes after four or more days of sick leave;
. the issuing of overtime ration packs to workers in instances where they are made to work overtime without prior notice, rather than solely issuing the packs when overtime work is scheduled;

. that senior union delegates are to be paid when attending union meetings during work hours;
. that all workers are always paid the rate agreed upon in the labour agreement for work done on weekends - time and a half or double time;
. supervisors will be reinstated with the authority to approve persons to stand in for other workers who are unable to work late shifts.
. that negotiations between the NWU not be hindered because of Alpart's negotiations with UTASP, and that e set for next week.

Negotiations broke down however over the issues of medical assistance for retired workers, and the removal of a member of staff from the human resource section who has been deemed unfit for his position by the NWU.

According to DaCosta, in the past Alpart paid 80 per cent of a retired worker's medical expenses, but has recently shifted to paying only 20 per cent of the expenses, leaving a significant burden on retired workers.
The issue has been placed on the agenda for further negotiations.

Concerning the individual from Alpart's human resource section who, the union alleges, has tried repeatedly to change a number of clauses within the labour agreement without discussions, the NWU has recommended the removal of the individual and is now awaiting further discussion with Alpart on the subject.

"If we identify someone whose actions present a clear and present danger to the company and operations we have a duty to remove such persons," DaCosta said last night.

Alpart's Public Relations Manager, Lance Neita, had no comment on Saturday talks nor their outcome, saying he had not yet been briefed.
Though DaCosta projected that normalcy would return during today's operations, he warned that the strike notices should not be considered defunct.

"The strike notices have not been revoked, the clock has just stopped ticking for now," he said.

davisv@jamaicaobsever.com

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