The management and staff of Secrets and Breathless Resorts in St. James today agreed to engage in a series of meetings over the next few weeks to determine a new wage package.

The agreement follows a protest by upset staff members yesterday. The workers complained about poor working conditions and low wages among other issues.

The Labour and Tourism ministries intervened, and a meeting was held this morning to iron out the issues.

A statement from the Labour Ministry said senior officials from the ministry’s industrial relations department convened a meeting between 25 worker representatives and the management team of the Secrets and Breathless Hotels.

This resulted in a one hundred percent work resumption, following industrial action by the workers yesterday.

The ministry provided clarification on issues related to sick leave and other related concerns.

At the end of today’s meeting, several issues were resolved, and a clear direction agreed for continued dialogue on other concerns, including salary matters.

The Ministry said the parties agreed to a structured standard set of meetings, the first of which will be held on Wednesday, November 20, to arrive at a standard comparative wage package across the hotel.

The parties have also agreed to a general staff meeting to discuss the hotel’s change of ownership. 

Staff representatives and management indicated that they were satisfied with the outcome of the meeting.

Labour Minister Pearnel Charles Jr. encouraged management and staff to continue the dialogue.

Charles Jr. said there is need for an internal mechanism to be set up for stronger ventilation of issues at an early stage, so that they can have amicable resolutions and settlements at an early stage.