CWU calls for reinstatement of 50 workers

Secretary General of the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU), John Julien is calling on the management of Hilton Hotel and Conference Centre to rescind its decision to issue 50 letters firing part-time staff.  The call was made at a news conference held outside of the hotel’s compound, off Lady Young Road, St Ann’s yesterday. Julien’ said the workers received letters on Carnival Tuesday notifying them of their termination of employment effective March 6. “The company thought it fit on Carnival Tuesday to get rid of these workers. As of today, for three months they would not be on a roster. They would be home for the three months and after the three months, they (the hotel management) are going to decide whether they are going to extend it (the leave) or not, that is a termination,” Julien said.

Despite claims by the CWU that the hotel’s management did not communicate with the CWU before terminating the workers, the union, on March 5, wrote to the management of the hotel, demanding that the workers be reinstated. Julien also said there was no excuse for terminating the employees based on a low occupancy rate. The union also stated in its March 5 letter, that the decision to terminate the workers was “is in direct violation of the provisions of the Collective Agreement Article 4 (b). Julien is also demanding to get a list of all the part-time employees who were affected as a result of this action by the hotel’s management.”

When contacted, the hotel’s telephone operator stated that no one was in office to respond to the matter and suggested that attempts should be made to contact the office today.