KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) is urging the Ministry of Finance and Public Service to respond promptly to its request for improved fringe benefits for the staff of the Urban Development Corporation’s (UDC) operations in St Ann.

The BITU said that settlements of outstanding allowances for the UDC staff in St Ann who are represented by the union are still unresolved for the expired period 2015/2017.

According to Rudolph Thomas, vice president of the BITU, “The union had reached an agreement in relation to wages, after the workers accepted the four and three per cent increase over the two years of that agreement, which was generally accepted by the public workers. However, this was done in anticipation of an increase in certain allowances, which should have been agreed and implemented during the life of the 2015/17 agreement which, incidentally, expired on March 31, this year”.

In the meantime, the union said it had pursued a critical meeting with the ministry last week Wednesday, to conclude the outstanding negotiations.

It explained that the ministry had requested 48 hours to respond to the workers and that should have expired last Friday but was extended at the request of the Ministry.

However, one week later there is still no response from ministry, which has caused frustration to seep in and has increased tensions at the UDC properties among line as well as clerical and supervisory staff at the St Ann Development Company (including Dunn’s River Falls); Production staff at Runaway Bay Water Company Limited; and workers engaged Ocho Rios Commercial Centre.