Union Wins Bargaining Rights at Kingston Wharves

The new union representation covers approximately 350 workers, a larger group than initially reported, including car drivers, stevedores, and stacker operators. These workers are employed by Newport Stevedoring Services Limited (NSSL), a subsidiary of the Kingston Wharves Group of Companies that was established in 2017. This unionization marks a significant change for the NSSL employees, who previously did not have benefits such as a pension fund, group life insurance, or health insurance. The National Workers Union (NWU) has already secured a three-year Heads of Agreement that includes these new benefits, along with a lunch subsidy and laundry allowance. The agreement also guarantees a series of wage increases for the workers. Employees will see a 6% salary increase in the first year, followed by a 6.5% increase in both the second and third years of the contract. The parent company, Kingston Wharves Limited (KWL), has demonstrated strong financial performance. For the full year ending December 31, 2025, KWL reported sales of JMD 12.67 billion and a net income of JMD 3.46 billion, a significant increase from the previous year. For the six months ending June 30, 2025, the company's revenue rose by 17% to JMD 6.00 billion, with a gross profit of JMD 2.71 billion. In August 2024, NSSL held a major job fair to recruit for a variety of positions, including stevedores, equipment operators, and drivers, indicating a period of expansion for the company as it sought to attract a larger workforce. The unionization of this workforce follows that growth. The NWU has a long history in Jamaica, having been founded in 1952 with ties to the People's National Party (PNP). It has a track record of representing workers across various sectors, including transportation and public utilities. This latest agreement at the port is part of a broader landscape of labor relations in Jamaica's vital shipping industry.