Sugar workers redundancy letters to be withdrawn - NWU

Some 37 sugar workers employed to the Monymusk sugar factory in Clarendon who were issued redundancy letters last week have been spared losing their jobs for now.

President of the National Workers Union, Vincent Morrison says the management of Pan Caribbean Sugar Company, which owns the factory, gave the commitment to withdraw the letters during a meeting last Friday.

He says the unions which represent the workers maintained that the process of terminating the workers violated the labour relations code and an arrangement with the Sugar Producers Federation.

Morrison says the concerns are grave and as such the matter has been reported to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture.

Meanwhile, Morrison is also expressing concern that the divestment of the sugar factories is not yielding the desired results.

Monymusk is one of three factories acquired in 2011 by Pan Caribbean's Chinese parent company, COMPLANT.

The others are Bernard Lodge in St Catherine and Frome in Westmoreland.

Morrison says since the acquisition there has been reduced sugar production and the incomes of the workers have been seriously eroded.

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