Kellier Schedules Meeting to Avert Industrial Action at Fiesta Site

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Derrick Kellier has scheduled a meeting for tomorrow (April 25), with stakeholders involved in the construction of the Fiesta Hotel, to avert any industrial action by workers.
“There were some news items recently, that suggested that there might be problems brewing on the site in respect of industrial relations,” the Minister said at the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House yesterday (April 23).
“Recognising the need to avert any lock down of the site, and any slowing down of the progress on the site, the Ministry has set a meeting with the National Workers Union, the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union and the management of the Fiesta site, to discuss the way forward in respect of the union claims,” said Mr. Kellier.
The Fiesta Group from Spain is constructing the hotel in Point, Hanover. Some 2,000 persons are employed on the site, with construction expected to be completed at the end of November this year. The hotel is slated to be opened in December.
“The Government supports fully the investment that the Spanish group has put into the country, and all the other persons who have invested in hotels along the north coast, and we will do all that we can to ensure smooth operations on these sites, the protection of the workers, and to ensure that there is harmony,” the Minister said.
“We expect that there will be no work stoppage on the site and that after the meeting at the Ministry in Kingston, we should have things properly ironed out to ensure that the unions and the management are at one in respect of the further development of this very, very important project,” Mr. Kellier added.