The Minister for Labour, Honourable Peter David has ruled that “Notice to the Union” and “Notice to the Workers” under Retrenchment, Redundancy and Severance Pay, shall not run concurrently.
The Minister for Labour was asked to Mediate by RBC Financial Caribbean on the breakdown in negotiations between RBTT Bank Grenada Limited and the GTAWU for a Collective Labour Agreement for the period July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2019.
The Recommendation which has been accepted by GTAWU means that the RBTT Bank is required to first give notice to the Union which must expire in keeping with the Collective Labour Agreement before giving Notice to the Worker.
The Union is looking forward to the signing of the Collective Labour Agreement which will pave the way for the finalisation of the outstanding period from July 1, 2019.
Also, it must be remembered that RBC Financial Caribbean had informed of the selling of its Operations in the Eastern Caribbean which includes RBTT Grenada Limited. This has given rise to the issue of the right of the workers to exercise the option to be terminated and receive Severance pay in keeping with the Collective Labour Agreement between the Bank and GTAWU.
The workers have been engaged in “Low Level” industrial actions to protect their right to not be sold to a new employer and to be paid for their years of service to the previous employer if they do not wish to work with the new as was done with the former Bank of Nova Scotia workers.
This matter has been Conciliated by the Labour Commissioner who is expected to make recommendations towards a settlement.
