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  • 5 months ago
The extension of the contract of Chairman, Essential Services Division of the Industrial Court Lawrence Achong is causing unrest among members of various Trade Unions.

Some of them decided to vent their frustration outside of the Court.

Alicia Boucher has the details.
Transcript
00:00The contract of Lawrence Atchung has been extended for a further six months.
00:05For some trade unions, it is unwelcome news.
00:09Chief Education and Research Officer of the Oilfields Workers Trade Union, Ozzy Warwick,
00:14provides insight into a protest that took place by union workers and branch officers
00:19outside of the industrial court over that development.
00:23So this morning's action was really staged by a number of unions,
00:27which included the OWTU, but it also included the EPA, the Steelworkers Union, the Postal Workers Union.
00:36Now, at the heart of this issue is the fundamental concept of judicial impartiality.
00:45He says the foundation of legal systems is hinged on it.
00:49And what we've seen is a consistent number of judgments coming from higher courts,
00:55from the Privy Council, from the Court of Appeal, and even from the High Court,
01:01expressing concern over the question of impartiality by the Central Service Division,
01:07led by Mr. Lawrence Atchung.
01:10So the issue is not just about judgments.
01:13It's much deeper than that.
01:15It's about the main grouping of people that access the court, which will be the workers,
01:22or trade unions and the workers, losing confidence in the court itself.
01:31Trade unions, including the Estate Police Association, have been repeatedly calling for Atchung's removal.
01:36In a 2014 case between the EPA and the Royal Bank of Canada,
01:41the special tribunal, through Atchung, took the association to the Privy Council
01:45in an appeal which was dismissed by the law lords who said that the tribunal
01:50had lost sight of the principles of impartiality and neutrality.
01:54It's not just that matter.
01:56You had, for example, the judicial review in terms of when he attempted to impose
02:01two five-year agreements on the Public Service Association.
02:06They had to go and get a judicial review on that.
02:09Then you had the, don't forget, the P&T matter where he ruled 000,
02:16which went to the Court of Appeal.
02:17And the Court of Appeal expressed concern around that fundamental issue of fairness and impartiality.
02:26He is questioning the basis for the extension of Atchung's contract.
02:31Warwick says the trade unions will continue to raise the issue
02:35because justice must not only be fair, it should appear fair as well.
02:41Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
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