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ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – Prime Minister Tillman Thomas says Grenada will not be able to withstand the impact of any disruption in industrial relations as he welcomed the end of a two month work stoppage at the Grenada Breweries Limited (GBL).
Workers returned to their jobs on Wednesday two months after staging industrial action in support of demands by their union for increased wages.
The agreement to end the impasse came after the GBL and the Technical and Allied Workers Union (TAWU) agreed to a nine per cent wage hike over a three year period.
The agreement was signed before Labour Minister Glynnis Roberts on Tuesday.
Thomas, who had been instrumental in bringing both sides to the bargaining table after the discussions broke down in December last year, said “it is important that we recognize and respect the crucial role of labour and capital in our economic development.
“It is also important that each side in any dispute appreciate the value of the other partner, especially in bringing solutions to disagreements and disputes,” he added.
The Prime Minister said his administration is focused on a maintaining a peaceful industrial climate, particularly amidst signs of a recovery in the national economy.
“Our country is unable to withstand the impact of any disruption in industrial relations at this time. It is even more important that a peaceful climate is maintained as we begin to see encouraging signs in our national economy,” he said, calling for a more harmonious relationship between labour and capital, with greater emphasis on human development.
“The world has changed significantly, so there is room for a more harmonious relationship between capital and labour, to the benefit of all,” he said, reiterating a call for “the building of a coalition” with government, labour and the private sector to further Grenada’s development agenda.
Meanwhile, the Trinidad-based regional conglomerate Ana McAl, said it would be expanding its operations here soon.
The conglomerate said it plans to invest “heavily” in GBL.
“We don’t like to get into volumes but the union is aware of the amounts that we intend to invest in this brewery and it is well known that we have invested over EC$26 million (US$9.6 million) dollars in this brewery over the last 10 years,” said GBL’s the lead negotiator Dr. Patrick Antoine.
“We want this brewery to be the best small brewery in the Caribbean and to do that we’ve brought tremendously important brands here…to be produced here not just for Grenada but for the OECS (Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States) and where there is opportunity to export those to the MDC (more developed countries,)” he added.
CMC/nb/pr/2012