UPDATE: Port workers threaten strike action; police on high alert

Employees of the Dominica Airport and Seaport Authority have threatened to take strike action on Friday on matters relating to salary negotiations.

DNO understands that the workers have threatened to stage a sickout on Friday morning.

The workers met with their union on Thursday and salary negotiation was high on the agenda.

The police have been placed on alert.

Sources told DNO that police were alerted to possible strike action on Thursday night.

The sources said that the SSU branch of the police force arrived at the Douglas Charles Airport at 3:00 on Friday morning.

A port source also told DNO that the police were called to provide security in the event of protest action by workers.

Meanwhile, General Secretary of the Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU), Thomas Letang, said enough emphasis is not being placed on salary negotiations with the port workers. He said they are interested in settling the matter in the shortest possible time.

He stated that negotiations for 2014 to 2106 should have been concluded already and they should be engaged in negotiations for 2017 to 2018.

DNO has been reliably informed that only a skeleton staff has reported to work at the Douglas Charles Airport.  It is unknown whether this will affect traffic at the facility.

DNO will continue to follow developments on this matter.

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19 Comments

  1. Quotar
    March 16, 2018

    Hahha so u mean to tell me when maria pass u could not get not one SSU police to go roseay to stop the looting but as they hear protest they running with speed.. awa wi look a marge Country… up roger own carbon can’t say why the private sector business was looted out to the bone.. but once he hear protest he know how to send them

    • RandyX
      March 18, 2018

      No they could get any because some of them in the looting! But the government is happy to turn a blind eye on that occasion.

  2. March 16, 2018

    Both Carbon , Skerro , the so call speaker of the house who has gone senile , and the rest of the ruling labor party need to go , when the farmers asked for improved feeder roads to grow foods to feed the people of Dominica and the neighboring Caribbean Islands the police responded in force with military gears and expired tear gas, some elderly citizens were injured and later died of COPD due to inhaling those expired gas, when the people responded to skerro change of constitutional laws so he can stay in office for years like Mugabe , there was a massive respond by the police, BUT WHEN THE LOOTERS destroy the stores and business places there was no police, and those police that was there was accomplice ,I asked where is ethics in policing ? what is being though at the police academy? they are there to serve and protect , and the fail the law abiding citizens of D.A.

    • RandyX
      March 17, 2018

      I agree with you. Your comment is spot on.

  3. Ibo France
    March 16, 2018

    Instead of seeking to resolve the salary issues with these long suffering port workers in an amicable manner, the relevant authorities have sought to flex their military muscle to intimidate. Because of the stagnation of wages, some of these port workers have joined the ranks of the working poor. These beleaguered workers have a constitutional right to agitate peacefully for higher wages. Instead of getting a well deserved increase in pay, they have to steer down military men armed with sophisticated weapons. The Police Force is only good to suppress the aspirations of citizens when the government messes up. How can any rational person support this militaristic minded government?

  4. KID ON THE BLOCK
    March 16, 2018

    Letang the POLITION playing his part of destruction but who JAH BLESS NO MAN CURSE!
    Letang you think you hurting Skerrit you are wrong you are just hurting those that are still under the TAPS after Maria.

  5. March 16, 2018

    This is what bad management is all about Skerrit.Each end of school term for school leavers you employ police officers, teachers, nurses and more civil servants simply to increase on your ballots during the next election, then sell passports to pay them.A country cannot improve with the sales of passports.Every other Caribbean country with the same practice. Every infrastructure is in a deplorable state and Maria the poor wicked lady is not to be blamed. The biggest failure that Dominica has been through is under Skerrit’s governance.Skerrit has encouraged hated and deceit.Now Dominicans will see that you will blame Maria for your employee’s wages. How are you going to pay the Trinidadians who are now working in Dominica?This is disgraceful. Your arrogant attitude with your moron followers who have no clue how to manage finances, it is time for you all to put Dominica first and leave, in order to prevent us from sinking together you. Your body language shows how deceitful you are.

  6. Ferrar_FenTon_Bible
    March 16, 2018

    Where is the love for country? We just had a bad hurricane, striking is a bad idea, we need to work together to build our country.

    • March 18, 2018

      Nobody should love their country more than there own life and the close family.,They work in order to gain a living to receive a monthly wage, this is what it is all about.Not country nor political parties.What about if they don’t have any savings? With what or how will they feed their family especially their children? They are demanding their wages, there are no ifs, buts nor country to be considered. We have to be honest about this.Maria should not be blamed for this nonsense. There is a huge lack of management in Dominica where the government sells passports to pay salaries, while their employees are concerned only about their monthly wages.They should know that one day or the other money will run shut because there is no growth such as factories reproducing to export in order to make more money.

  7. Sams
    March 16, 2018

    All u do right let them pay enough is enough

  8. CHILD OF GOD
    March 16, 2018

    I new something was in the pipe line. not the way Dominican speaking on the radio station. all Ports should Closed down until salary increase… Dominica need to put things in order!! this country is up side down Election is in the air and that’s wen they want to help people with home’s… and is to hear how they doing there help wen they have all the Millions! I VEXX WII. If that Govt don’t humble and turn to God this country going to end some day by the hands of God when he say its over. Dominica need to go under the French Govt.

  9. Alex Bruno
    March 16, 2018

    So why do we need such massive show of force for a union strike? It is not a protest nor is it a demonstration for crying out loud. Is there something missing from the news report?

    • Paul Rossnof
      March 17, 2018

      Because the Skerrit regime like to oppress their own people only to serve their own goals. As if they are not wealthy enough already.

    • Real
      March 17, 2018

      Always on point! But in a Dominican Contex. The train has left the station. Forcing those w ho want peace and tranquility to stay away.

  10. Lougawoo Mem
    March 16, 2018

    It takes real action to start a revolution to bring a much needed solution!

  11. AA
    March 16, 2018

    Them Idiot SSU that could not prevent looting of the private sector 3 weeks after maria go down to airport at 3 in the morning?
    What a set of dottish

    • Real
      March 17, 2018

      Iu don’t understand,

  12. Roy Williams
    March 16, 2018

    Letang must stop talking and start acting, the sooner the better. Letang said on Q95, he is fed up, I wonder of what. Since 2000, the Skeritt Administration have been ignoring the port worker’s demands, and in 2018, you are still fed up. I wish to salute Jammers, he appears to be the only port worker who has been speaking for the last fifteen years.

  13. Da
    March 16, 2018

    It is about time some Dominicans stand up and be counted for their own future . All the ministers have big house and SUVs so it is time the local man is respected.

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