The Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT) has sided with the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) in a long-standing dispute with the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) over a change in the bank’s vacation leave policy, over which the union has expressed strong objection.

After an extended period of deliberations, the IDT handed down its award on May 5, detailing that the adjustments made in the BOJ’s vacation leave policy in 2015 with regard to the accumulation of vacation leave should stand.

Rudolph Thomas, in his submission, said that in 2015, the bank and the union were engaged in discussions on vacation leave.

According to the BITU’s Thomas, the delegates raised concerns about the proposal to reduce the maximum accumulated vacation leave, the monetary value of which employees were able to use to meet payments such as mortgage and insurance.

Responding to the union’s concerns, Foster said that the bank made no attempt to adjust the workers’ entitlement to vacation leave.