Approximately 120 employees of Jumby Bay Island Company will benefit from a seven percent salary increase following the completion of negotiations between the Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union (ABWU) and Jumby Bay Island Company.
President of the ABWU Kem Riley, says the Union is pleased to have secured a new Collective Bargaining Agreement on behalf of the workers following several rounds of negotiations with the Company.
Another highlight of the agreement is the harmonization of the Company’s retirement age with Social Security’s pensionable age.
“Previously, we had staff who would have been placed at a disadvantage because of the adjustment in the Social Security pension age. They would have had to seek new employment for a few additional years or lose 6% off each year if they opted to retire before the pensionable age. “However,” Riley added, “we successfully persuaded the Company to bring their retirement age in line with that of Social Security’s pensionable age.”
The new Collective Bargaining Agreement covers the period 1 July 2021 to 1 July 2024 and will include retroactive payments.
The ABWU and Jumby Bay Island Company are expected to sign off on the new contract in the coming weeks
