Jamaican Bauxite Workers Ended Slow-down Action

Workers at St Ann Bauxite Company in Jamaica have ended their two-day sabotage over the weekend, but still demanding a new payment contract. Increasing living cost in Jamaica has affected actual income of workers, so there is need to adjust their payment, said Lambert Brown, leader from the United Workers Union, adding workers are demanding to be paid in US dollar for better defending their interest, as weak Jamaican dollar has lowered workers’ actual income level. Former three-year labor contract has expired a year ago, and labor union demands a 30% rise over hourly pay in the first year of the new 3-year contract. The mine is 51-percent-owned by the Jamaican government, and US producers Century Aluminum and Noranda Aluminum hold the remained. The company produced 5.2 million tons of bauxite last year. COPYRIGHT All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of WAM News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of WAM.