Definitive Report - Report No 120, 1971

Case No 592 (Jamaica) - Complaint date: 30-MAY-69 - Closed

1. 55. The Committee has already submitted an interim report on this case to the Governing Body. This interim report is contained in paragraphs 26 to 53 of the Committee's 117th Report which was approved by the Governing Body at its 180th Session (May-June 1970).
2. 56. Jamaica has ratified both the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), and the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98).

A. A. The complainants' allegations

1. 57. The recommendations of the Committee, as set forth in paragraph 53 of its 117th Report, read as follows:
2. 53. Concerning the case as a whole the Committee recommends the Governing Body:
   • (a) to decide, for the reasons set out in paragraph 52 above, that the allegations concerning the refusal to admit the Jamaica Maritime Union to membership of the Joint Industrial Council of the Banana Board do not call for any further examination on its part;
   • (b) to request the Government, concerning the allegations of non-recognition of the complainant union for the purposes of representing certain categories of worker, to indicate whether the expiry of the agreement linking Sprostons Jamaica Ltd. to the United Port Workers' and Seamen's Union has brought about any changes in the position of the Jamaica Maritime Union, and, if so, what the nature of the changes is;
   • (c) to take note of the present interim report on the understanding that the Committee will submit a further report when it has received the supplementary information referred to in the preceding subparagraph.
3. 58. These recommendations were approved by the Governing Body at its 180th Session (May-June 1970) and the request for further information contained in paragraph 53 (b) of the Committee's 117th Report (cited above) was brought to the notice of the Government by a letter dated 10 June 1970.
4. 59. In a letter dated 25 June 1970, the Government states that, following the expiry of the agreement between Sprostons Jamaica Ltd. and the Union Port Workers' and Seamen's Union, the Ministry of Labour and National Insurance, at the request of the Jamaica Maritime Union, conducted a poll amongst seamen engaged on the ships in question on 22 February and 8 March 1970. The results of this poll revealed that the majority of the workers were in favour of representation by the Jamaica Maritime Union, and the union was subsequently granted recognition by the company. The Government further states that both parties later met under the auspices of the Ministry of Labour and National Insurance in resolving a dispute affecting an employee of the company.

The Committee's recommendations

1. 60. In these circumstances, the Committee recommends the Governing Body to decide that the case does not call for further examination.