NWU Seeks Audience With Labour Minister Stephenson King

The National Workers Union (NWU) has requested an audience with Minister for Labour, Stephenson King, to discuss a petition signed by about 300 workers formerly employed with Majestic Industries Limited.

Majestic Industries Limited was a subsidiary of Cleevepack International, owned by Americans who operated in Saint Lucia for over 30 years. Its main base was at Vide Bouteille behind J. E. Bergasse in a factory shell on many acres of land that was also owned by the company.

The company employed over 300 male and female workers and had a payroll of about $240,000 monthly. Company operations ceased suddenly on June 24, 2004 and none of the workers received compensation.

Going forward, the NWU redirected the issue to Mr. Mac Stephen Aubertin, who was then Labour Commissioner. Aubertin informed the NWU that he received instructions to hand over the matter to Peter Foster, Attorney-at-Law. It was expected that the company’s property would have been sold and the workers be paid. To date, that has not happened.

It is against this background that the former employees through the signed petition are requesting the intervention of King and seeking an audience with him.