Overseas Workers Receive Settlement Cheques

Thirty-one workers from the Jamaican hospitality industry have received cheques totalling US$268,000 (J$23.8 million) from their lawsuit settlement with North American inter-city bus company, Greyhound.
The Overseas Hotel Employment (H2B) programme workers were injured in an accident in March 2007, involving the Greyhound bus they were travelling in from Florida to their places of employment in the state of Missouri, United States.
The remainder of the US$700,000 settlement is for medical, legal, and other fees, Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles, explained at this morning’s meeting with the group, at the Ministry’s North Street headquarters, where the cheques were presented to them.
Mr. Charles expressed his sympathies to the accident victims, and assured the group that he was willing to work with them to provide any further assistance that may be necessary and possible. “If you have any differences, my office is wide open for you,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Labour Minister told the workers that the Government is now negotiating with the United States for that country to begin accepting workers in the hospitality industry again, as a cap had been placed on foreign workers, other than those in agriculture, because of the current economic recession.
“When and if the cap is lifted, I will make sure that members of this group, once the hotel where you were working is willing to take you back, will be on the plane as quick as possible,” he said.