Twenty-two employees have been made redundant by telecommunications company, FLOW Dominica.
Sixteen employees who were transferred from Marpin 2K4 Limited to FLOW Dominica will be made redundant effective February 28, 2019.
Secretary Treasurer of the Waterfront and Allied Workers Union, Kertiste Augustus, says FLOW informed the union of its intentions where a list of workers was presented to them to be analysed.
“Flow bought off Marpin in May 2017. Hurricane Maria destroyed the plant and equipment in September 2017. In December 2018, the management informed the union of its intention to reduce its staff complement,” Augustus said.
He added, “By December 19th the company officially sent us a letter detailing the reasons for the redundancies or the proposed reductions in the staff complement and submitted us with a list of workers which straddled all categories including managerial staff and as is normal, we would look at that list and the whole question of seniority of service , because if you have two or three persons performing the same job, then you would have to look at the one who is the most senior to be retained as opposed to the others,”
He said the situation could change in the case where a junior employee may be more skillful and adaptable to the operations of FLOW, “then that would have to be discussed.”
Augustus also stated that FLOW submitted individual letters to employees indicating their statuses and an amount of compensation, but does not include their monthly salary.
“It doesn’t state what the monthly salary was and we, from the Waterfront and Allied Workers Union, will scrutinize every single level to determine the correctness of the computation. Every employee that will be issued with their letters, a copy will be sent to the union.”
Augustus said the union will continue to monitor the situation and hopes to be in a position to advise their members and to further discuss with the management of FLOW if necessary.
Meantime, General Secretary of the Dominica Public Service Union Thomas Letang says the Union was informed that six of the employees that FLOW represented will also be discharged.
“I got a letter indicating to me that management is requesting an audience with me to discuss redundancy,” he said.
“We have since written to management and saying that while we are willing to meet, we have a few matters and that will include people that have the retail shop and also the technicians where management had refused to treat them as part of the bargaining unit but we met with the Labour Commissioner, a decision was taken that these people should be recognised as part of the bargaining unit.”
Letang is calling on FLOW to settle this matter as quickly as possible because retroactive pay is due to the workers, among other benefits, and only then, will discussions will be had with persons losing their jobs.
For all of you that lost your jobs, I am so sorry. It’s a hard thing. I hope that you have a good support system around you to support you in the near future and that you find new employment soon. Have a peaceful day.
The DLP is a destructive economic force. It has brought disastrous policies that have crippled every once thriving sector of the economy. Agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, off shore banking, you name it. How a political party that has crippled all aspect of a comfortable life, for the great majority, can be given a new mandate to continue its reign of economic terrorism on the hapless citizens , is beyond comprehension. Corruption, banditry and incompetence must not be given a lease on life.
Well, the government just signed a multi-year, multi-million dollar agreement with Digicel. One would think they would need some new staff to service that account. Some of those workers would be well placed to take advantage of the new opportunities at Digicel. All Skerrit has to do is pick up the phone and call the CEO of Digicel.
Employees made redundant?
WOW! so these people are needless, unneeded, dispensable, disposable, expendable, unwanted, useless? Well look it in this country, papa!!!
https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/business-byte-flow-dominica-achieves-record-setting-year-post-hurricane-maria/
How fitting and timely.
Well thats a depressing way to start your year. More competitors in the employment rat race. I feel like a jerk wondering this but i wonder if the guy who dressed up as santa clause got a letter.
Always painful to hear about people losing their jobs, especially in Dominica where there is little prospect of alternative, similar work. As I understand it FLOW is the operating name of Cable & Wireless Dominica Ltd. and I presume that these poor folk are ultimately employed by that locally registered company. I also understand that our government still own 20% of this company, so one could argue that the government have, at least part-responsibility for these lay-offs. Yet a large government communications project was recently awarded to their competitor, privately owned Digicel, based in Jamaica. Given that they have had to defer redemption of their outstanding bonds I can only speculate that they needed the projected cash flow from this project more than Flow.
Also, Flow is part of an American company, Liberty Global of Colorado. No way our government under Skerrit will allow an American company to control his communications network because he is paranoid they may be spying on him.
Skerrit is killing Flow slowly,His family is in charge of Digicel,soon will be one communication network,real path of a dictator,Dominica is doomed.Where is the production and hope in Dominica,None @ all.
Does anybody retire in Dominica? How long have Kertiste been secretary of the union? It’s time for new blood.
01/22/2019
I have handed you new keys to unlock doors, use what you have for my sake. Stay humble for this is your time to shine. Sometimes you must let go of the outcome and let me take the reigns. My desire for you is to grow and walk in more and not less. When I began, I drew into a garden that fell into sin. Do not loose your rewards for a job less than, I am clearing your to-do-list. What could not shake or bind you will not. I am proud of you, you are here for such a time as this. If I told you that you are in the palms of my hands so how did you get out? Transformation is upon you, search your heart for walls built up to keep me out. Let this be the time when you forsake all other idols permanently.
I enjoy your smile and I enjoy your laughter. I have not called evil into your life but I will use it if you allow me too. Choose not to look back at what you placed in my hands for I will bless you beyond your wildest dreams. You must write the vision for without the…
This is devastating!
1. Poach staff to cut them off?
2. What jobs will people be going to on this small island?
3. January is already a hard enough month following Christmas spending! People have mouths to feed, rent/mortgage to pay/children to take care of/credit card bills.
I am so sorry to read this! Very scary. Praying for those 22 people.
My God! And all you want to give Roosevelt Skerite 5 more years… well according to skerite if you vote the Dlp the blood of the nation will be on your hands.. That dlp is a damn failure.. Ross gone … more Peoople has lost their jobs under this administration in the history of Dominica.. Man we have to kick out that Gov real fast or we will surfer…. Skerite get out man… your dam wortlis man… all you expired..
I empathize with these workers soon be made redundant. These are anxious tomes for you and your family. I hope that job offerings will come your way even though the economy is desert-like, not a sign of life in sight. The biggest problem in Dominica is the anemic economy. It presently produces no new sustainable good paying jobs. People, through no faults of theirs, are forced to live below the poverty line. More and more citizens are joining the jobless line. The line is so long that it can easily encircle Dominica. The economy needs a huge injection of incentives to stimulate it back to life. It’s really surprising. Skerrit, his ministers and his senior civil servants overuse the word ‘resilient’ for everything in the country except for the economy. Have you realized?
flow must go! if you cannot deal with de competition get out.
This was to be expected… No news here carry on….
In the last 19 years of the DLP, we have seen at least ten times more people lose their jobs than those that got a job. It is like 10 times more people dying than babies that are being born here. So guess what? It’s just a matter of time before Skerrit takes us back to the days when we read about caribs and Arrawacks, when history tells us how the Arawaks disappeared. I don’t want to be rude or offensive to our now kalinago brothers and sisters but when I see the direction we heading I can’t help but go back to our history. But that we can reverse either by “Taking it by force” according to Jesus, or by waiting when the election date is announced to set Dominica free again.
What difference is Lennox Linton gonna make? It will be the same …. and more,…..
Well, try him, It can not get lower than this.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating. We had enough of Skerrit already.