100-plus Jaxx restaurant staff want compensation

OVER 100 staff of Jaxx restaurant at MovieTowne, Port of Spain have been temporarily laid off within the last six months.

Frustrated workers met with representatives of the NUFGW on Wednesday and are seeking compensation, saying they are now on the breadline.

They are calling on the company to offer them a compensation package instead of what they describe as empty promises.

Many of them have worked for the company for 16 or 17 years, they said, as managers, supervisors, dishwashers, kitchen attendants, among other things.

“These workers have given most of their life to this company and just like that, they were sent home without nothing. These last seven months have been really hard for us,” one worker said.

She said they have bills to pay and families to take care of.

“We understand the situation and the current state of the world. But they did not even try to think about all these over 100 workers who they sent home for three months and then extended the so-called (temporay layoff) to another three months.”

The worker said the employer could have offered to rotate the staff or even reduce their pay.

“This would have been better than nothing. But here we are now on the breadline.”

Another worker said they all came together and decided it was time for their voices to be heard.

"We have stayed silent for way too long. And they keep feeding us empty promises to keep us silent. But while we remained silent our families are suffering.”

Jaxx is one of many companies that temporarily laid off workers owing to covid19 restrictions.

An official from the NUFGW representing the workers confirmed that the union met with the company's HR team on Wednesday and the company is expected to give a decision on September 28.

When Newsday contacted Jaxx a staff member said she was unable to comment. She also said the company’s corporate communications department was on the verge of changing locations, so no one else was available to give a comment.