EFFORTS by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to arrange a meeting geared at ending the week-old strike by almost 180 workers contracted by China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) on the North-South Highway link failed yesterday.

But ministry sources are hopeful that CHEC will return to the negotiations today prepared to respond to the demand by the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) and the National Workers Union (NWU) that they be recognised as the bargaining agents for the workers.

A meeting between the unions and CHEC at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Tuesday, failed to advance the conciliatory effort, as the unions insisted on a letter from the Chinese firm acknowledging them as bargaining agents for the workers on strike.

CHEC was represented by human resources project manager, Shanna Garrick, who was unable to give that guarantee. However, the unions’ representatives, Alden Brown and Owen Saunderson — assistant island supervisors for the BITU and the NWU, respectively — insisted on recognition before going forward, leading to the adjournment of the meeting.

In a joint press release prior to the meeting, Brown and Saunderson stated that they have been seeking recognition by CHEC since last November based on a Joint Industrial Council (JIC) decades-old convention, which allows the two unions to share representational rights on all construction sites in Jamaica.

“The unions are demanding that all contractors, foreign and local, adhere to the JIC agreement, which recognises the BITU and the NWU as bargaining agents for construction workers,” the release said.

The return to Jamaica, Tuesday, of CHEC’s Regional Director Zhongdong Tang has, however, increased hopes that a resolution can be reached by weekend. Zhongdong’s return should influence a decision by CHEC on whether to grant the unions bargaining rights, by today.

The North-South Highway link has been plagued by various issues, which suspended work by some two years under French construction firm, Bouygues, until last October when CHEC took over. It is expected to be completed by 2016.

The first segment of the highway will connect Caymanas to Linstead, the second will connect Linstead to Moneague, while the third segment will link Moneague and Ocho Rios. Work on all three segments started last year, but segments one and three started some three months late.

The project will cost approximately US$610 million, and will be funded solely by CHEC. CHEC will also reimburse the government the US$120 million it spent prior to their involvement.

The North-South link of Highway 2000 is expected to reduce travel time between Kingston and Ocho Rios, St Ann, to some 45 minutes.