Tru Valu opens despite walk-out
By
Gyasi Gonzales
gyasi.gonzales@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created:
Oct 20, 2012 at 10:54 PM ECT
Story Updated:
Oct 20, 2012 at 10:54 PM ECT
ALL SIX branches of the Tru Valu supermarket were opened yesterday despite a walk-out by workers on Friday which caused three of the grocery chain's outlets to close early.
The workers and their union, the Banking Insurance and General Workers Union (BIGWU), insisted that they were not on strike but were merely demonstrating their disgust with management and the slow pace of negotiations for a salary increase.
Union president Vincent Cabrera said yesterday because of on Friday's walk-out by workers the management of the supermarket chain had since agreed to a meeting on October 25, information which resulted in employees returning to work.
On Friday approximately 300 workers attached to the supermarket walked off the job, triggering a closure of the branches at Trincity Mall, Trincity, and Valpark Shopping Plaza in Valsayn.
The branch at Long Circular Mall, St James, closed at 1.30 p.m. last Friday after the second shift did not turn up for work.
The Sunday Express visited the flagship store of the supermarket chain at Trincity Mall and it appeared to be business as usual yesterday.
The grocery's managing director Govind Maharaj could not be reached yesterday.
He said on Friday he was surprised by the workers' action which forced the closure of the stores.
Cabrera yesterday described grocery workers as "some of the most underpaid and mistreated workers in the local workforce".
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