More than two years after they began the fight to receive for their severance and other emoluments, former employees of Jolly Beach will begin receiving cheques today from their bargaining agent the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union (ABWU).
In addition to severance, the approximately 500 former employees will also be compensated for their thrift fund contributions, back pay and holiday pay.
Former housekeeping, kitchen and dining room workers are listed for payment today.
On Friday, security, water sports, grounds and maintenance, front office, entertainment and all other departments will receive compensation.
The ABWU confirmed two weeks ago that it received a cheque totaling EC$12.9 million from the law firm Lake, Kentish and Bennett Inc.
The payment of the workers was made possible through the government’s purchase of Jolly Beach at a cost of US$30 million after the property’s previous owners went belly up.
The beneficiaries who will claim payment are asked to present government-issued identification when they visit the union’s Newgate Street headquarters.
The payments bring to an end tumultuous negotiations between the government and the union which saw the ABWU accuse the government of dishonesty when it was announced that the money to cover the workers’ payments and union dues had been placed in an escrow account weeks ago.
The government, however, maintained that the delayed payments to the workers was solely the fault of the union which encountered difficulty completing the list of beneficiaries as they had included workers who were ineligible under the arrangements made for severance and other emoluments.