IRIE FM Goes Off Air As Workers Protest Lay Offs

IRIE FM radio station went off air Tuesday afternoon as employees stopped working to protest against the management’s decision to lay off six of their colleagues.

Managing director Debian Dewar was contacted by phone late Tuesday evening, however, the call ended after The Gleaner reporter identified himself.

Subsequent calls rang without an answer.

In the meantime, Kirk Fletcher, the National Workers’ Union’s island supervisor for industrial relations has blasted the management of IRIE FM.

Fletcher accused the management of laying off the workers before completing discussions with their union.

The chief union delegate and his deputy are reportedly among the six who are to be laid off.

Fletcher said during recent discussions, workers had offered to take a pay cut to avert the lay off and the management was asked to return to another meeting with certain information.

However, Fletcher said before that could happen, six of the workers were laid off.

He said the Labour Ministry has since been advised and asked to intervene.

Fletcher also said another matter relating what he calls the unilateral changes to workers’ health insurance scheme is being reviewed by the Labour Ministry.