MEDIATORS WILL SEEK to break the impasse between the Barbados Workers' Union (BWU) and two employers – The Royal Shop and Sandy Lane – on March 17.

The labour movement yesterday confirmed the date as well as last Thursday's round of preliminary discussions involving all parties at the Labour Department.

The mediation tribunal comprises retired High Court judge Justice Leroy Inniss, former Chief Labour Officer Mitchell Codrington, and one-time head of the Barbados Private Sector Association, Chris DeCaires.

The three will begin hearing formal submissions from all sides on March 17.

The BWU and the two companies have been at loggerheads over the dismissal of about 30 workers who had walked off the job in support of a colleague.

The union had threatened a national strike but changed the plan after Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office with responsibility for Labour, Senator Arni Walters, proposed the mediation tribunal.

Meantime, the daily demonstrations against both companies are off to facilitate the mediation effort.

Some of the dismissed workers are presently on training programmes at the BWU's Labour College in Mangrove, St Philip, covering areas including industrial relations, collective bargaining and grievance handling.

A senior union officer said the BWU had been providing the dismissed workers with some financial assistance since the disputes started. (TY)