By ROGAN M. SMITH, NG Senior Reporter

More than 100 workers are back on the job at the Morton Salt plant in Inagua after participating in a strike that lasted more than two weeks.

The work stoppage ended Monday after Morton Salt management and the company's union, Bahamas Industrial Manufacturers and Allied Workers Union (BIMAWU), concluded negotiations.

The labor ministry made the official announcement yesterday.

The union has agreed to refer all outstanding trade disputes to the Industrial Tribunal for final determination.

Officials also agreed that they will establish a binding arbitration process to conciliate all further disputes between management and the union.

Workers were protesting 11 key issues.

The union said Morton had failed to make a substantial number of employees permanent after seven to 12 years of continuous service, refused to give sick pay to part-time workers and failed to pay double time on the sixth day of work.

BIMAWU executives said the company had also failed to pay a retired employee $6,000 that is due to him. Workers were also protesting the company's decision to fire Ken Rolle, a master electrician and BIMAWU vice president.

Rolle is accused of illegally restoring electrical supply to an Inagua resident's home.

Earlier this week, union advisor Obie Ferguson admitted that he did not have high hopes for Monday's meeting.

In an interview with The Guardian yesterday Ferguson said all of the outstanding issues will be transferred to the Industrial Tribunal and the company has agreed to abide by its final decision.

"The resolution came after an extensive discussion and evaluation of the issues," he said.

"There are about 13 or 14 issues connected relating to money. It was felt that it was in the best interest of the process that the Tribunal, which is a court of fact, examine the evidence and make the conclusion."

Ferguson said Minister of Labor Dion Foulkes has given the union his assurance that that matter will be dealt with as soon as possible.

"That was one of the fears that we had in the whole process (that the Tribunal would take so long)," he said. "But we have been assured that this matter is critical and crucial and a top priority; therefore, all attempts have been made to have it done as soon as possible."