Production workers of the Caribbean Cement Company Limited play a game of dominoes outside the company’s Rockfort, East Kingston, plant yesterday as they await word from their labour representative, the National Workers Union (NWU).

More than 150 workers who walked off the job Friday morning in protest against work conditions and the implementation of a new shift system which they said would negatively affect their take home pay, were ordered to return to work, beginning with the 6:00 am shift today, by the Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT) late yesterday. Labour Minister Pearnel Charles said the matter was referred to the IDT after two planned meetings – for Saturday and Sunday – with representatives of the NWU, Caribbean Cement Company, and the Ministry of Labour fell through after the union delegates failed to show up.

“They did not show but, they indicated that they would be able to come Monday. The ministry couldn’t afford that and we referred the matter to the IDT. The IDT met today (Sunday) and made the order that the plant be reopened 6:00 am tomorrow (today) and workers assigned to that shift are required to be on duty,” Charles told the Observer last night.

“This minister has done what is required of him and I am hopeful that both management and workers will honour the dictates of the tribunal,” he said.