ST GEORGE’S, Grenada (CMC) – The Grenada Technical and Allied Workers Union (TAWU) says several workers at the telecommunications company, FLOW Grenada, will be sent home as a result of its merger with the British telecommunications giant, LIME.

“I can confirm that we have received correspondence from FLOW stating its intention with regards to some workers and what they plan to do,” TAWU President Andre Lewis said.

He said that both the union and the company are meeting with Labour Minister Elvin Nimrod to resolve matters as it pertains to the workers who will be affected by the rebranding and eventual merging of both LIME and FLOW.

FLOW Grenada Country manager, James Pitt, without disclosing the status of the negotiations with the union or the company’s decision to terminate workers, said: “I can tell you that we are in discussion with the union and we are working towards an amicable solution”.

FLOW Grenada and LIME employ 145 workers and it’s understood that 39 are expected to receive “exit letters” on or before June 30, amid speculation that the companies will not be offering any voluntary separation packages.

Staff members directly working for the Community Channel on the Grenada platform are not expected to be affected during the first phase of termination.

The St Lucia-based Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (ECTEL) is yet to give full approval for the legal merging of LIME and FLOW but a few weeks ago the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC) was notified that all LIME stores will be re-branded using FLOW.

In April, ECTEL announced its displeasure over the apparent unwillingness of the parent companies of both FLOW and LIME to arrive at an agreement with the sub-regional regulator regarding the merger.

ECTEL’s chairman, Vincent Byron, speaking at the end of the 33rd ECTEL Council of Ministers meeting, said that licences given to telecommunication companies to operate in the jurisdictions controlled by the regulator will be adjusted to reflect a better quality of service to consumers.

In May, the LIME payment centre was shut down and customers were directed to use the FLOW office for all inquiries.