00:00This is the third consecutive day that Spancast workers have showed up to their place of employment to find that the gate is locked.
00:10Now, the initial word is that they were told that they were fired, but no official termination letters have been issued.
00:16That is based on what we've heard from the trade union.
00:20They are once again out here protesting for yet another day.
00:23The action began on Tuesday, and the Transport and Industrial Workers Trade Union indicated at that time that legal action was going to be taken.
00:33Tiwu's president, John Roberts, says the process to seek redress has commenced.
00:38Give me an update on that.
00:39Yes, that sent out yesterday. That was sent out to the militia already, the industrialization offense, where the legal locked out of permanent workers.
00:50So are you saying that it has been filed at the court already?
00:53Well, we sent it. We sent it out yesterday.
00:56Workers are now placed in a position of uncertainty.
00:59Will they be able to meet their financial commitments?
01:02Do they still have a job?
01:04These are questions for which at this time there is no official answer from Spancast.
01:09Tiwu believes the situation unfolded because it met with workers on their lunch break last Thursday.
01:14That meeting was to address issues relating to benefits which the company is accused of taking away since it came under new management nearly a year ago.
01:24All them turns and conditions were breached.
01:28So these workers don't get vacation.
01:31When they stay home, they tell them don't apply.
01:33Don't apply to a private doctor for sick leave.
01:36Go to the general hospital.
01:37But when they go to the general hospital and come back, they're still not receiving their salaries.
01:42The money management team realized that the union, the executive, right, was part of that discussion with the members.
01:50So I believe that that's what caused these workers to be locked out.
01:54And we told that the company don't have no money.
01:59And we don't believe that at all.
02:01Tiwu tells us only workers who met with the union have been locked out.
02:06But the ones who did not have been allowed to take up their duties.
02:10The present situation adds insult to injury for a worker like Nicholas Edwards.
02:15He lost part of his finger while on duty operating an overhead crane and claims that he received no compensation.
02:22Apart from that, he states that even his NIS payment was a problem.
02:26When the doctor gives me the form to bring it to work, he tells me that I cannot fill it out.
02:32Due to the fact that I wasn't paying our NIS, I was taken out from it.
02:36Because I have all my payslips.
02:38It was taken out from our wage, but not paying.
02:42How do you feel?
02:44Well, depressed.
02:47I feel like I'm not employed.
02:50And that's one of the greatest care that a man with family has.
02:55Christopher Noriega says his tenure spans more than 25 years.
03:20Tiwu tells us the protest action will continue.
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