A back-to-work order has been issued for workers of the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) who have been staging a series of work stoppage across the island.
“The Industrial Dispute Tribunal has issued a back-to-work order for the employees, so we are expecting that the employees will comply and will turn up for work as scheduled,” a senior member of the JPS said in an interview with Loop News.
Reports are that from as early as 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, scores of workers began calling in sick at several departments of the company as part of a protest over dissatisfaction with ongoing wage negotiations between management and the union representing the workers.
The light and power company said the industrial action by the staff was as a result of a breakdown in wage and fringe benefits negotiations with the Union of Clerical, Administrative and Supervisory Employees (UCASE), which represents the workers.
The protest triggered a series of meetings between senior managers of the company and union representatives.
Members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) were also placed on alert following the release of that information.
Reports are that the protest caused power outages in several parishes across the island, including Kingston and St Andrew, St Thomas and sections of St Catherine.
JPS has reported that normality is expected to return to the areas that were experiencing power supply problems.
The police say they will still be monitoring affected communities to ensure that order is fully restored.
