KINGSTON, Jamaica – A shutdown of the island’s retail petrol trade was averted after the intervention of the Jamaica Gasoline Retailers Association (JGRA) in an impasse between Texaco dealers and the parent company that came to a head on Monday.

JGRA President Derrick Thompson said that a strike has been called off based on assurances given after meetings with industry stakeholders Tuesday evening.

“We suspended the action last night because we were given some assurances in writing. We were told that the three dealers whose contracts were not renewed will be getting some compensation. Also, we were asking for security of tenure for 25 dealerships. Those contracts expired on November 30th and were renewed,” Thompson told OBSERVER ONLINE on Wednesday.

He added that the negotiations will continue and the JGRA hopes the issue can be fully resolved by Friday of this week.

On Monday workers at the Papine, Barbican Road and Constant Spring Road Texaco stations in the Corporate Area staged a protest after it was revealed that the current dealers were given until the end of February to vacate the service stations by the parent company.

In support of the affected dealers, all Texaco gas stations decided to withdraw service for two days. The withdrawal of service in solidarity with the Texaco dealers then threatened to escalate industry wide.