Dairy farmers return to work ahead of wage talks Monday

MANDEVILLE, Manchester:
Unionised dairy farmers of UC Rusal in Kirkvine, Manchester and Unity Valley, St Ann have returned to work after two days of protest over protracted wage negotiations.

On Tuesday, approximately 120 of them picketed the company's head office in Manchester and they remained off the job on Wednesday even while representatives of their employers – UC Rusal – met with officials of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

The workers, resumed duties on Thursday morning,

"We got the assurance that the company is ready to negotiate and so we have sent the workers back to work," said Vincent Morrison, president of the Union of Clerical, Administrative and Supervisory Employees (UCASE).

The parties will return to the Labour Ministry on Monday to continue negotiations.

In 2018, the farmers, through UCASE proposed a two-year wage agreement with 10 per cent increase in year one and 10 per cent in year two.

However, the company countered, offering a four-year agreement, with four per cent increase in year one, four per cent in year two and no increase in either year four or five.

The union rejected that offer and for more than two years, the parties have not reached an agreement leaving the farmers frustrated.

As the union and UC Rusal prepare to continue talks on Monday, Morrison is warning that normalcy is uncertain if there is not a successful conclusion.

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