Stools are in the pipeline for cashiers at the Island's largest grocery chain as the company is currently shopping overseas for the best seating option for its employees.

MarketPlace vice president Scott Carwell said yesterday the company fully intends to comply with an order from an arbitration tribunal, which said seating should be provided for the chain's cashiers.

Mr. Carswell said MarketPlace has had to go to the United Kingdom in its search for appropriate stools because grocery stores in the United States do not provide stools for their employees.

"Since receiving the award, we have determined that there do not appear to be any suitable stools available locally," Mr. Carswell said. "A large chain in the UK has recently put us in touch with their supplier, who they advise supply them with an ergonomically designed stool that they are happy with."

The Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU) took up the cause of stools for the cashiers earlier this summer and the matter went before a three-person arbitration panel on July 18.

BIU and the cashiers argued that seating was a matter of workplace health and safety for the employees who spend upwards of five hours a day on their feet.

The company argued, however, the dispute should be determined by collective agreement and suggested stools might hinder the quality of work.

The tribunal issued a majority award of two-to-one in favour of providing seating to the cashiers.

While the tribunal dated its award on July 18, Mr. Carswell pointed out that the decision was not forwarded to MarketPlace until the end of August and the company's lawyer did not receive it until September 6.

"While we recognise that it has been five to six weeks since we received notification of the award, we felt it was our responsibility to properly research the choices available to ensure that we select a safe and practical solution to meet the needs of our staff and the practicalities of the operation," he said.