Pelican, WIFOL sign agreement

145 workers to be hired, others may be fired�

PHILIPSBURG--Pelican Resort and Workers Institute for Organised Labour (WIFOL) reached an agreement close to midnight Wednesday that will see the indefinite employment of 145 workers by the resort.

The company will continue with its request to dismiss approximately 35 employees.

WIFOL President Theophilus Thompson signed an agreement to this effect with Royal Resorts Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Richard Corso around 11:40pm.

Also at the signing ceremony were Deputy Prime Minister Theo Heyliger who had intervened to bring about a resolution to the talks, Economic Affairs Minister Franklin Meyers, attorney Jairo Bloem and Simpson Bay Resort Management Company BV and Simpson Bay Resort Owner Company BV Managing Director Jules James who said he was happy the talks had concluded successfully. They were also part of the talks that began around 2:00pm.

Thompson told The Daily Herald shortly after signing that the agreement had to be "ratified" by his members ? the workers ? during a meeting that most likely will be called this morning.

The 145 workers will be hired indefinitely under the same conditions as in the past. The collective labour agreement (CLA) will remain in effect until a new one is negotiated. Thompson expects to start these talks soon.

The dismissal procedures that will be followed for the approximately 35 workers were unclear. Thompson said most likely the company would have to withdraw its request filed earlier this week to dismiss all 182 workers and submit a new list. He said these workers will be paid out according to their years of service.

"We cemented the job security of the workers; with this agreement there is a guarantee of permanent employment for 145 workers," Thompson said. "Until there is a new CLA in place, the [previous] procedure exists. That procedure is between the new company and the old company. The struggle is still continuing, but the workers are secure now. Their jobs are secure and we're looking forward to working with the new CLA."

According to the current CLA, the employees will receive their severance pay from the SVB if there is bankruptcy or closure of the company. The agreement establishes that the severance pay is already guaranteed if the workers were to be terminated.

"All of the employees, from day one, had permanent status. The company had the right to make a termination request for 180, but with this agreement in principle it means that we can move forward with the job security of these employees. The new company can proceed with its desire to see continuity of the resort and whatever investment and plans will go ahead and our new CLA will ensure that."

Thompson said he would push ahead for the short-term labour contracts to be addressed structurally during today's meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament on the Pelican issue. The meeting was requested by the National Alliance (NA).

Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams had told reporters at the Council of Ministers press briefing held earlier in the day that she was seriously considering appointing a special labour mediator to help get parties around the table again.

The Pelican talks had collapsed on Monday after weeks of negotiations. Pelican later filed a mass dismissal request.

The Pelican Resort Owners Board (TAPRC) said in an e-mail message to this newspaper on Monday that it had not filed dismissal requests for the workers.

"The former owners of Pelican Resort Club are the Tenants Association of the Pelican Resort Club. The actions that are attributed to us are the actions of the Royal Resorts Management Company, who worked for us until the auction of the property on December 16, 2010 and since that time has represented the new owners Quantum Investment Trust.

"The board and previous owners (TAPRC) have not been invited to any of the discussions between the government and the resort management," the e-mail statement read.

Josh Kahn of marketing firm KTCpr said in a separate e-mail that Royal Resorts Caribbean Chief Executive Officer Richard Corso was not the "new owner" of Pelican, as stated in the article on the Pelican issue that appeared on page one of Wednesday's issue of this newspaper.

Source: http://www.thedailyherald.com/islands/1-islands-news/12648-pelican-wifol-sign-agreement.html

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