‘Union badness’ accusations rock KFTL after wage pact

Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited (KFTL) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), representing workers at Jamaica’s main port, have reached a new wage agreement, even as complaints of dissatisfaction mount about the deal.

On Friday, the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) said that the agreement was signed on Thursday and that executive management at KFTL met with workers in the afternoon.

PAJ said normal operations resumed following two days of workers staying off work, calling in sick.

“As the chief maritime agency of Jamaica, regulator of the port of Kingston and owner of the cargo port facility which is managed and operated by KFTL under a concession agreement, the authority has a vested interest in ensuring business continuity and efficient operations at the port.

“Accordingly, our role was to facilitate harmonious negotiations to achieve a resolution that is mutually acceptable and beneficial for all stakeholders, while mitigating disruption in operations,” PAJ said.

It said it facilitated “harmonious negotiations” to achieve the resolution which, it said, is mutually acceptable and beneficial for all stakeholders, while mitigating disruption in operations.

Still, dozens of workers remain disgruntled about the agreement, insisting that the union acted against their interest in signing off on a proposed salary increase arising from a job-evaluation exercise.

The workers are contending that the union did not meet with them and communicate what was being offered before putting pen to paper.

The workers have contended that there has been no transparency around the job-evaluation exercise conducted by KPMG, a multinational accounting organisation.

One union delegate, who expressed unease with the direction of the agreement, was stripped of the position.

“Your egregious conduct as union delegate has not escaped the attention of the leadership of the TUC, its delegation and membership. Such unbecoming behaviour gravely conflicts with the values, standards and tradition of the TUC, leaving us with no option but to veto your appointment, forthwith, as delegate for the TUC.

“KFTL is advised of this development. Consequently, you are not authorised to conduct any business on behalf of the TUC,” a note from TUC General Secretary Barry Dawes said to the man.

Workers have decried the move, calling it “union badness”.

A petition is being circulated among a group of workers to sign for the disengagement of TUC as their bargaining representative.

Efforts by The Gleaner to reach Dawes for comment have been unsuccessful.

KFTL – which was established in 2015 as the vehicle to be used in the execution of the terms of the 30-year concession agreement between the Government and CMA CGM – said the settlement agreement ensures that everyone will benefit from a salary increase of 9.23 per cent.

The company said this increase was not a part of the job-evaluation report prepared by KPMG.

It said the agreed implementation will ensure that the lowest-paid staff are brought up to a competitive market position and that all staff who are already above this market position will also benefit from the aforementioned increase as well as retroactive payments.

KFTL said increases will be paid to all staff, calculated on base salaries for each year and compounded retroactively. These increases will apply to staff who were employed within the applicable year and remained employed on January 1, 2025.

KFTL is proposing a 0.5 per cent increase for 2021, one per cent for 2022, two per cent for 2023, and 5.5 per cent for 2024. It said it already paid four per cent for 2020. The total increase compounded starting 1 January 2025, KFTL said, is 9.23 per cent and total increase for job evaluation 2020-2025 is 13.6 per cent.

“The implementation has been carefully thought out to be fair and advantageous to all employees while securing the company’s ability to invest in the terminal’s growth and development,” the company said.

Last week, KFTL’s CEO Captain Jedrzej Mierzewski issued a warning to staff that their salaries would be docked if they participate in an “orchestrated” sickout that was under way.

“The company has noted that an unusual number of employees have called in sick today. We further note that this also occurred on Monday, 27, January 2025. KFTL considers both ‘sickouts’, as well as the messages, letters and voice notes which have been circulating, as an orchestrated attempt to frustrate the negotiation process with the union and disrupt normal operations,” Mierzewski said.

“Any employee who participates in an orchestrated sick-out will be considered as not having shown up for work and will not be paid for the relevant period. Furthermore, unauthorised absence, deliberate restriction of work or intentional slowdown of work are disciplinary breaches and will be treated accordingly,” the CEO said.

kimone.francis@gleanerjm.com