The National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) is reporting a cut in the pay for watchmen employed by the state-run Sanitation Service Authority (SSA).
Acting General Secretary of the NUPW Wayne Walrond said the union is awaiting official word from the Ministry of the Public Service (MPS) to rectify this problem as soon as possible.
“There is an issue with the watchmen’s pay to be regularized; but that situation with their correct pay and hours can only be adjusted when they get the right circular from the Ministry of the Public Service,” Walrond told Barbados TODAY.
The union leader added: “The Ministry of the Public Service needs to send the amended circular giving the correct rates for watchmen and to inform that their 12-hour shift to work remains the same so that the watchmen are not disadvantaged.”
In explaining how the workers ended up being paid less than what they are required to receive, the acting General Secretary said it was a situation where the SSA was sent the wrong documentation containing old rates and old working hours.
“The claims from Sanitation is that they made adjustments based on a directive from MPS, from a circular. But when I checked, Sanitation informed us that they are waiting on an amended circular from the Ministry of Public Service to revert to hours and also to pay the increased rates as agreed to by the Ministry and the NUPW,” Walrond stated.
This is linked to the increase in the weekly minimum wages recently announced by Prime Minister Mia Mottley which moved from $78.36 to $111.
“As a consequence of not having the situation corrected, the Sanitation workers’ weekly wages have been cut. This is still an outstanding matter. So until they get the amended circular to direct that they revert to the 12-hour shift and also that the rates have been increased, it means then that this is what is holding up the process,” the NUPW head stated.
He pointed out that the watchmen are currently working an eight-hour period, with the SSA bringing in staff to cover the additional hours.
When contacted on Friday, public relations officer at the SSA Carl Alf Padmore told Barbados TODAY he first had to get an update on the matter before commenting.
(EJ)
