Staff members of the National Cooperative Credit Union (NCCU) today and tomorrow are voting for a bargaining agent.
The poll will determine whether the Waterfront and Allied Workers Union (WAWU) will be their representative. For a union to get bargaining status, it must represent 51 percent of the bargaining unit staff of the labour force.
National Workers Union and WAWU have been vying to represent the staff members but in a poll held recently, WAWU got the majority of the votes hence its sole presence at today’s and tomorrow’s poll.
Vielle Case, St. David’s, St Paul’s and La Salette are casting their votes today and the main branch in Roseau will do so tomorrow.
Secretary General of WAWU, Kertise Augustus, says once the union gets 51 percent, it is accorded bargaining status and on that basis, the union will submit proposals for negotiations on a collective labour agreement with the company.
“That will detail a number of areas in term of benefits, like in case of the ladies maternity leave, and all other labour benefits the workers enjoy,” he said.
Augustus explained however, if WAWU fails to gain the 51 percent, “we would not be accorded bargaining status; we would not be able to make any further application until the expiration of six months,” Augustus said.
I hope the staff of NCCN know that the General secretary of WAWU, Kertise Augustus, and National Workers Union are the same thing just look out Kertise is more talk no work look at him and the Dominica port Authority he cannot get that settled best you all go to DAWU you might get more.