Industrial action continues at the State Insurance Corporation today as Antigua and Babruda Trades and Labour Union (AT&LU) Industrial Officer Ralph Potter walked out of the settlement meeting early this afternoon.
This afternoon’s meeting came in an effort to resolve issues arising which led to members of staff staging a sit-in starting yesterday morning and continuing into today.
“Potter is grandstanding,” said acting board chairman Baldwin Anthony.
“The members of staff have said long-ago that he has not been acting in their best interest for quite some time now. And now, all of a sudden, he is trying to show them that he is working for them.”
The members in attendance at the meeting included the acting board chairman, General Manager M. Lyndell Francis-Butler, Potter, the two appointed shop stewards Simon and Robert Joshua along with member of staff under the invitation of Potter.
The board took umbrage with the special invitee.
“Yes, we gave her a pass yesterday, because tensions were still high and we only wanted to resolve the issue,” said Anthony.
“But, today, we saw no reason for her to be there, especially since the members of staff were represented by their union rep and two appointed shop stewards. So, we asked her to leave.”
The request was not well-met by Potter, who then refused to continue the meeting according to the acting chairman.
“The thing is,” said Anthony of the walk-out, “Is that the board came into the meeting ready to accept all of the recommendations set out by the Labour Department.”
The union and staff had previously accepted all other recommendations of the Department of Labour save for those pertaining to salary and severance.
The union’s proposal of a 17% increase in salaries was countered by a 6% offer by the board. The Labour Department’s recommendation was for an 8% increase in salaries which the acting board chairman said that the board was prepared to accept.
“Simply put,” said Anthony, “The employees found Ralph’s performance to be incompetent and he was looking for a way to find favor with them again.”
“It is a shame. Because, we came today all ready to put this matter behind us and get the members of staff back out to work again as of tomorrow.”
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This country is really a papi show country a man that is never serious 99%of the time that chat shit and know who knuckle who and mind people business is on a board ……this is when u know antigua not serious about anything….gaston u better keep a good watch on this man with your wife because he has 9 tongues ask dr cort…..
That is how ALP reward and ‘take care’ of their comrades pit dem on board whey dem nah know dem ass from elbow
All spliff know how fe do a ride horse he nah even done school but he a chairman pan board
Antigua pooorhouse of the Caribbean
And the UPP did so much better right espically since some of their past board members were quiet infamous and known to call in on certain radio stations to ask 3 questions.
Hey finishing school has nothing to do with anything one bit just saying he has the brain of a 14 year old no disrespect to people of that age because not even i behave like that…..all he does is talk crap about who knuckle who and hufa husband a kiss who just pure rubbish and he will sit in groups of men trying to be little others ……dont know how gaston deals with him because Gaston is such a serious man but i guess he has his people he talk them things with……
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