KFTL operations grind to halt as more than 1,000 workers strike

Operations at Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited (KFTL) ground to a halt yesterday as more than 1,000 workers walked off the job in a bitter dispute over union representation.

The strike began late Thursday night and intensified following an unsuccessful meeting with management early yesterday, as workers pressed for a switch from the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to the Port Supervisors Union.

The workers accused the TUC of failing to adequately represent their interests in negotiations over salaries and other benefits, while also claiming that the Ministry of Labour and Social Security had been sidelining their complaints.