The union representing the largest number of public servants in Dominica has spoken out against a proposal for work on a Sunday.
The Dominica Association of Industry and Commerce (DAIC) has proposed that Sunday be recognized as a normal day of work to strengthen productivity on the island.
But General Secretary of the Dominica Public Service Union Thomas (DPSU) Letang said persons should be given a choice about whether they would want to work on a Sunday and they should be compensated.
“We are not in favour of making it compulsory. The law provides for Sunday to be recognized as a public holiday and when that was done I am sure there was a lot of reason behind it. If Sunday has to be viewed as a working day, they should be given a choice,” he said.
The Waterfront and Allied Workers Union (WAWU) has also opposed the idea with Kertiste Augustus, its Secretary General, saying, “The workers of Dominica and like-minded institutions must stand in opposition.”
Do we value our family time??????
Because we need one day to at least visit them, seat and help our kids with there home work and have quality time with them. So sunday should be OFF limits!!
Dominicans are always complaining but when they go to foreign countries, they get adapted so fast.Dominicans know better but insist on keeping the country backwards. Employees working 8 – 4 do not exist anywhere on planet earth except in D/A. Every body going to lunch at 1 o’clock shoud be abolish. Government need to introduce punch cards so that their lazy will stop roaming Roseau for which they are being paid for. That is where production comes in.
thank you for that comment observer…money is important but its not the only thing that matters..The Almighty created the world and declared one day to be set aside for rest…He never said we could chose what day it was…everybody cannot have a different sabbath…..think about it
How do you all expect productivity when the entire country closes at 4pm during the week and 2 pm on Saturday? And , do you all expect to gain productivity by making Sunday a regular working day? Leave Sunday alone for people to go to church and spend a quiet day with their families . Extend working hours from Monday to Saturday 8am – 6pm. Fire those lazy people who sit at their desks filing their nails and can’t wait to go home at 4pm and hire people who are ready to work. Look at the registry for example….you go there for a birth certificate and those ducklings are as slow as ever.
And the services in the air cargo shed, twenty minutes by the first counter,and I am the only one… 20 minutes, not one of those hard faced women in there ever looked at me to say, we are working on something else,or we will be with you shortly, i had to rap on the glass, they looked up like i was doing them a disservice… or them doing me a favor. I am so sick of the attitude in DA.
20 minutes to pay tail gate fees, another 35 to get everything done, and i was there with 2 other people….. Talk about unproductive, what do you think you will accomplish by making Sunday a regular day, just another day for them to drag their feet and perfect the worst customer service and best lazy asses attitudes in the region.
Pastors , Preachers, Priests …..Will you now speak ? Do you see the larger picture if and when this piece of legislation is passed ? Will you speak out now ? Or will you just continue to bury your heads in the sand until its too late ? Will you now speak out for your members who would be at work and cannot attend Sunday worship services ? Are we taking counsel from the countries whom we go to bed with whose peoples do not have the freedom to worship ? I AM LOOKING AT THE LARGER PICTURE ! !
oh yes the churches will speak up because the collections will be empty when their people at work
who doe see come see!
is behind working on sundays that have work!
dominicans can work 8 days a week and the country can stilll remain undevelop.
we need God-fearing visionaries: people of purpose! plan! principle and determination to bring development to this country
SKERRIT OUT!!!!!!!!! IF HE DOES THAT
ou toe sort, Sunday is the first working day of the week!!!!
Well they will hav to not pay me every sunday.. cuz im sure i wont be settin foot at no work place for pyees moon on that way….. so pah try sah
I think businesses opening on Sundays is not a bad idea but should not be considered a normal working day. Employees should have the right to chose whether or not they want to work and should be compensated for the extra day. If we want Dominica to move forward especially where tourism is concerned (we do have alot to offer tourist) then I think it is a good idea to open on Sundays as long as ships are in port but should be optional.
Come on people you ever take a second to think of what is being said and donfe for the past millons of years, people have had at least one day to take a brake for the hard stree of work what are we saying we should work like machines come on people. our bodies can take so little dont over work it.
Making Sunday a working day wont mean that you will work 7 days a week. The law still states that one must have at least one off day and 40hrs a week, anything in excess is overtime.
you too silly, who say making sunday an ordinary day will see people working 7 days a week? The law which state that a week comprises 40 hours will still stand, silly.
The law will better fit for part-timers who maybe studying and need the extra cash, they will work, not the regular workers during the week.
I see no problem with repealing this old Act.
Why should one have the choice as to choose to work on a Sunday?? Sunday is an ordinary day of the week. People should not work unless their job is humanitarian on the Sabbath (Saturday) and yet I do not hear that we have a choice to work on the sabbath, but this is the the Sunday law. This is nothing new for people who know and read the Bible for themselves, it will come to pass. Go ahead and fight for something that is not biblical and kill what is biblical. The Sunday law must come to pass for in his words he said so. We who read and know the truth brace ourselves for it is hitting home.
action mr letang action !!…enough of talk
dna….dta….psu and all the other unions must stand in solidarity against this proposal!
This is backward thinking. With the exception of Government offices, pretty much everything is open on the weekends where I live. This provides busy working folks with alternatives and options to get things done without having to intrude or request time off from work. The Unions need to think about Dominica’s future.
ITs not about just working on a sunday, silly. If sunday is made an ordinary working day the employers do not have to pay double time. the PSU would like sunday to remain a public holiday so if employers want to open on a sunday they will have to pay workers double time instead of theusual pay. this is only fair seeing that you are taking the worker away from his family. Read and understand people.
The place where you live is not Dominica and declaring Sunday a normal working day will not improve Dominica’s future. What will, is a change in work ATTITUDE to INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY.
Lazy Lazy Lazy people….
the first day of the week is for worship
u are one of dem ppl dat workin on sunday for a private firm and vex cause public servants gettin the sunday off .. in other places in the world u see public servants workin on sunday ?
What a lazy bunch? How u all expect to develop Dominica if u all don’t work hard, look at how the Japanese work! U can go mass anyday during the week, this country got too much holidays.
& all u public servants to darn lazy, all, all u want to do is write reports on what to do!
once again i say u workin for a private firm .. u will continue go work on sunday doh …. i will take my sunday and go church and relax after .. lol
Japan also has the highest suicide rate in the developed world. Has it ever occurred to you that some people work 5 or 6 days a week and have very little time for themselves and their families. Maybe work is everything to you but it’s not to everyone. In any case you seem to be a member of the organisation proposing this.
And do some research, the biggest hindrance to development in any country is corruption and exploitation.
LAZY!!!!! I am a public servant. When I started working for Government I was dedicated and willing to work far beyond the call of duty. I would stay and work after hours for no overtime and was willing to come in and work on a weekend. But when you work for a bunch of @@@ your spirit is soon broken. Everyone always ready to jump up and say how lazy public servants are but they themselves don’t see what we have to go through. Like favouritism…no matter how hard you work unless you and the supervisor are friends you not getting promoted. Doh talk about increment….some people working years and cannot get their increment so they are not being paid their actual salary but before they overpay you treasury ready to deduct it from your salary.
Sorry I am doing only what is on my job description and nothing more. And NO don’t expect great customer service, don’t expect service with a smile.