Congratulations!

The Unions and industry stakeholders who were party to the negotiations and the signing of the historic four-year wage agreement on the Port of Kingston should be honoured for the tremendous leadership shown.

The delegates, union officers - Alvin Sinclair, vice-president of the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU); Elvis Lennon, BITU officer; Roosevelt Walker, senior officer of the United Portworkers and Seaman Union, as well as president of the Shipping Association of Jamaica, Kim Clarke; general manager and lead negotiator Trevor Riley; consultant Alvin Henry; immediate Past President Roger Hinds; and Vice-President Denise Lyn Fatt should be commended.

This historic agreement has to be placed in context for a full understanding. Last year, the Government and country were consumed with the International Monetary Fund negotiations and contemplating harsh measures to achieve economic development, among them seeking to convince stakeholders to assist in the various strategies, including the NDX. We in the maritime sector were no different as we were competing for survival in the transhipment/logistics business with several other regional ports such as Manzanillo and two others in Panama, Freeport Bahamas, Caucedo in the Dominican Republic, SPRC in Cartagena, Colombia and new entrants Moin, Costa Rica and Cuba in the wings.

The workers and management of the port realised that a strong statement had to be made to the shipping lines that we are flexible, disciplined, productive, well trained and willing to make the necessary sacrifice to ensure that Kingston is the port of choice when decisions are being made for seeking a place to locate their hub/spoke operations with their post Panamax vessels.

We congratulate all parties for the spirit in which negotiations were conducted, and their recognition of the sacrifices that had to be made for success to be achieved. Importantly, we should also underscore that the Port of Kingston has an enviable record of over 30 years without a strike. For this, much credit is to be given to our Joint Industrial Council, which meets monthly. We believe that is the secret of our success in good industrial relations.

Once again, congratulations to all who contributed to these historic negotiations.

Michael Bernard

Chairman of the Industrial Relations Committee of the Shipping Association of Jamaica