Striking staffers at the National Frequency Manage-ment Unit (NFMU) have returned to work even though the issue of unpaid year-end bonuses remains unresolved.
Some seventeen staffers at the NFMU had taken industrial action last week Thursday and Friday after the agency had refused to pay them end-of-year bonuses as far back as 2001.
They were back on the job yesterday and their union is planning to write to President Bharrat Jagdeo on the matter.
The workers staged a sick-out on Thursday and followed up with a sit-in on Friday.
Kenneth Joseph, President of the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) said the agency has failed to honour an agreement that was signed between them and the union in June 2001
Clause 27 of the agreement, a copy of which was shown to this newspaper, details conditions for increments and other fringe benefits. It states, according to the copy, "Employees shall qualify for the year-end incentive up to four weeks pay at the end of each year."
While NAACIE is adamant that the agreement stated that the workers 'shall' qualify for the bonus, the agency has produced a copy of its agreement which has the word 'may'.
Joseph said he would soon write to Jagdeo on the matter since Prime Minister Samuel Hinds who has responsibilities for the agency has been unwilling to deal with it.