By Dawne Bennett
Caribbean Net News Barbados Correspondent
Email: dawne@caribbeannetnews.com

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados:  The industrial dispute between the Barbados Workers Union (BWU) and the Barbados Port Incorporated has been settled. A financial settlement has been reached on behalf of the fired security guard at the centre of the impasse and the union and port will have further talks.

Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur. AFP PHOTO

Under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Owen Arthur, the parties met on Wednesday, and after discussions that ran late into the night, agreed to that solution.

Arthur said the entire dispute was caused by a breakdown in communications between the union and the port and the two will work together to thrash out their differences regarding the code of conduct instituted by the port.

BWU General Secretary Sir Roy Trotman said the lack of respect which the union believed the company was exercising in dealing with issues of procedures and conditions for workers, was among the important matters raised.

"The other was what we thought was abusive psychological treatment of a female security officer and the third was the company's failure to give due process to the male security officer," he said. "We've got resolution on each of those issues and we wish to advise all workers that work continues in the same way that it did Wednesday."

Strike action which saw a shutdown of the Bridgetown Port on Tuesday, was put on hold on Wednesday after Prime Minister Arthur stepped in an effort to resolve the dispute.