The newly appointed Acting Minister for Labour, Honourable Anthony Boatswain is taking immediate action to seek a solution to resolve the dispute between the Pension Engagement Committee and the trade unions and staff associations, on the matter of the advanced payment of pension (gratuity).

The Acting Minister, having been briefed, has invoked his powers under theLabour Relations Act, CAP 157A, Part VIII, Section (3) (a) and has advised the disputing parties, that he intends to send this dispute to an arbitration tribunal.

Honourable Boatswain has written to the trade unions which represent essential service workers, the Public Workers Union (PWU) and the Grenada Technical and Allied Workers Union (TAWU) based on the threat contained in their correspondence of Friday, November 23. In that correspondence, it was stated that the unions have called their members back out on strike and it will now include strategic services of TAWU.

The Acting Labour Minister considers it prudent and advisable that the dispute be sent to an arbitration tribunal and that the essential services of hospitals, electricity, telecommunications, water and sewerage among others, be protected and maintained in the interest of the economy and the public.

The meeting is set for the Ministry of Labour on Monday, November 26, at 8:30 a.m.

The Acting Labour Minister upholds the view that the law lays down procedures for the resolution of disputes in essential services and the time has come for the matter to be resolved by an independent and impartial tribunal.