KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Jamaica Gasolene Retailers Association (JGRA), threatening “strong action”, has accused Rubis Energy Jamaica Limited and other petroleum marketing companies of failing to recognise the group as a registered trade union representing members in the retail trade.

“We wish the public to duly understand the plight for us to seek to regulate the trade.  We wish all our stakeholders — the taxi drivers, the truckers’ association, the manufacturing sector, the distribution sector, the private sector, our very valuable customers and the general public — to lobby with us for the rights of the Jamaican people,” the JGRA said in a statement Tuesday, stopping short of calling for industrial action by members of the retail trade.

The JGRA’s statement comes against the background of the impasse between Rubis and a dealership in St Ann’s Bay.

According to the JGRA, the St Ann’s Bay dealership, which was operated by a JGRA member for the past 60 years, was terminated with “a mere six week’s notice” effective August 31, 2016 for the purposes of renovation.   

“Upon the completion of the renovation, the dealer was advised that she would not be returned as the dealer of the site, and Rubis would operate the site themselves,” the JGRA said in its statement.

“On January 13th, 2017 after being informed of the termination notice from Rubis, the JGRA met with the dealer and examined the cause of termination and felt that she was unfairly treated.

“We then wrote a letter to Rubis, requesting that the marketing company have dialogue with the dealer and to date we have not received any response. This prompted an emergency meeting with the members of the JGRA. We were resolute that this type of oppressive actions meted out by Rubis to its dealer should cease,” the JGRA statement said.