March 5th - that is the day when the Labor Department says the Communication Workers' Union can legally go on strike. As we've reported, the union sent a letter of intended industrial action to BTL management on February 2nd. Going by that date, the 21 day notice should have expired tomorrow which is when the union was supposed to go on strike to protest the termination of three union activists.
But now they can't, at least not legally. Minister of Labor Francis Fonseca today told us that the 21 days actually began on February 12th, ten days later which means it will be another ten days before the union can strike. And now that the strike action has been pushed back, Fonseca told us he is confident that an agreement will be reached before the deadline expires on March 5th.
Hon. Francis Fonseca, Minister of Labor
"That 21 day notice period began running on February 12th and expires on March 5th and all the parties have agreed to that, that February 12th was the beginning of that 21 day notice period. At the end of that 21 days, obviously the workers legally are entitled to strike if we have not found a resolution to this matter. I am saying that I am very optimistic that we will find a resolution and failing a resolution around the table, we will then have to go to arbitration and that arbitration will find and produce a resolution which will be final and binding on all parties.
I don't know what Dean Boyce has said. All I am saying is what I said to you, that at the end of that 21 day period, the workers legally are entitled to strike. If there is an arbitration panel that is convened, then they cannot legally strike.
Over the next few days we will be having two subsequent meetings; two follow-up meetings to our last meeting and we are very very hopeful. I can say on all sides we are very hopeful that we can have a outcome that is acceptable to all parties."
Communication Workers' Union President Paul Perriot told us they unwillingly have to adhere to the Labor Department's assertion that the 21 days began on February 12th. He says his union wants to do everything legally and that is why they reluctantly agreed.
