Minister for Public Works, Ian Pinard, has said protest action at the Public Works Corporation (PWC) will not be allowed to continue after today (Monday).
He described action by the workers as illegal.
“We are hoping by Monday they will adhere to the instructions,” Pinard told state-owned DBS Radio. “As the workers should be aware, what they are doing is illegal. We will not allow it to continue. It has been going on for two weeks so we are hoping that after today, because they have received all their payments, we expect all the corporation staff to be at work.”
Staff of the PWC have been protesting for weeks now over a number of issues affecting them, among them late salaries, the non-payment of Social Security contributions and benefits, the hazardous conditions that they are forced to work in daily.
The workers are also peeved that a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU), which was to be signed between the workers and management to give a time frame for dealing with some of the issues, is still unsigned.
Pinard that there is no need to sign the MOU since it aims to address staff salaries and the issues relating to social security; both of which have been addressed.
“So at the end of the day, I don’t see a need for the MOU and I don’t think the union or the staff of the PWC should be looking at a signing of an MOU, when for me I don’t think it is necessary,” he stressed.
However, the General Secretary of PSU Thomas Letang is insisting that issues facing the PWC are not just payments of salaries.
“One has to understand, and I have said it repeatedly, that the situation is not just the payment or the non-payments of salaries on time. It has to do with a number of issues,” he stressed. “I believe they are taking a non-care approach, they are taking an approach where do whatever you guys want to do but we are not going to do anything. I mean you agreed to something with the union and you are just honoring your agreement, you are not doing anything?”
Letang said he was using the media to make a “personal appeal” to the Minister for Public Works, “to ask the board to do the right thing and to meet with the union and to sign that MOU so that things can return to normal.”
Last Week DNO received a tour of the grounds by the protesting staff of the PWC in order to highlight their working conditions.
Below are some photos taken.
Before you open your mouth now in Dominica, it illegal….hmmmm
Defiance and insubordination deserves swift and harsh repercussions. The Honourable Minister has ordered you lazy and ineffective employees of PWC to return to work. Failure to follow these orders should result in the total dismantling of the PWC. Close the facility and eventually sell the business to a capable and hard-working Labourite. Someone like the dedicated Labourite loyalist, Mr. Paris. And I pray that Mr. Paris don’t hire any of these lazy misfits. Let them go home and plant bananas and dasheens.
this is in response to LabourOfLove. every time I read one of your comments I cannot help but wonder weather or not you take your comments seriously or are you just trying to antagonize someone or some of us into name calling or insults towards you. I cannot understand how anyone can be so blinded by party loyalty and ignorant to the facts. clearly you have no sense of fairness nor compassion for your fellow brothers and sisters. you must really be benefiting greatly from your party that you are so much in love with them. there are names to refer to people like yourself but I will not stoop to your level. you might want to do a little bit more reading and listening to others other than your party members and supporters.
Toilets were given out to supporters, but employees of the PWC are being treated like pigs. These conditions are a health hazard. This is sad and deplorable, to say the least.
Mr. Pinard said that there is no need to sign the MOU since it aims to address STAFF SALARIES and the issues relating to SOCIAL SECURITY; BOTH of which have been addressed. DNO May 15 2015.. “PWC ends protest.. following the meeting General Secretary of the DPSU, Thomas Letang, said it was agreed that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be signed between the union and the board no later than Tuesday next week. He noted that the MOU will entail the issues discussed at the meeting and will spell out a TIME FRAME in which some of them can be resolved where possible…. In that MOU we will have an undertaking as to what will be done within a specified period of time,” Now Hon. Min why is it not a need to sign the MOU since it addresses such a pertinent issue other than salaries and SS.. is it left for speculation, just asking
Hopefully this time at least the tear gas is not expired
Yikes!! Looking at those pics, you’d think those are facilities for animals.
all u people not making no sense,so long all u working in that condition and never once brought it to ur manager and all of a sudden as salisbury protest all u want to protest,i mean i agree that payments have to be made and conditions have to be good but stop lambasing on the government,u guys have seen worse under the other parties and wasnt doing nothing,so
Di country nice boy! Lolz Labour party killin OUR sweet Dominica smfh!!!
Guys please take Titiwi words seriously. Ther5e is truth in his statement. Don’t say I did not warn you all
DOMINICA is at the brink of political, moral and financial free fall.. LABAR POWER!
ministers always claiming to say that what people are doing is illegal. yet they are the ones who are doing the most illegal things. its illegal to demand proper pay and benefits from your employee, but its “not illegal” to be stealing from the country you are elected to make better? why dont these ministers walk their selves into the prison and charge their own self with corruption, fraud, stealing, misuse of government and international funds, etc etc etc.
Yes it’s Time for change and it’s right around the corner. People need much better working conditions. That’s Sad. After Millions of Dollars were spent on Campaigning by the government in the last election this is the condition of a bathroom and other areas at Public Works … It’s a big Shame the government of Dominica should be ashamed >>>.
Boy is either this minister was under the influence of some substance or he was just trying to divert the attention of the people away from the Australians that were attacked in Dominica after the test match. Not me they fooling with their Chavez strategy
But Dominicans love their PM. What happened to all you who criticising the man, nuh?
An MOU is not a legal binding document. You don’t have to honor an MOU.
Ian Pinard, u need to be taught a lesson, in NY the judge would sentence you to a month of living in the filth, in these day and time PWC is working in such deplorable condition, what happen to the toilets skerrit was giving away, this is unsanitary and shameful.only one bathroom, wow.
Next you people in gov’t always trying to take away citizen’s rights, how about if you was in their shoes, how would you feel.stop oppressing your people in the name of a job, because one day not too far away you’ll find yourself with a lot of regrets, and you cannot undo the damage.
These are your people, what would you do to me a stranger.
After all Pinard aka (Butler) I cant believe you would stoop so low. Every Sunday you in church and even going for communion. If you profess to be a Christian then show it. Stop treating those people so do onto others as you would like them to do onto you. You never know where you will be tomorrow. ASK your self this question What Would Jesus Do? Stop putting your family to shame these people are not animals they are human beings like you who deserve to treated with respect the same way you want to be treated with respect. This type of behaviour does not look like you at all. Be a man Be a true son of the soil of Lap wet St Luke and do what is right stop following these corrupt people stand up be a man and treat those people justly. Where have all your moral values gone to Butler. Fr Moody should be turning in his grave hearing how you behaving now.
Pinard call out the tear gas gang,you should shut the hell up. Look @ the condition these people are working in.AND MAN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THEY SHOULD STOP PROTESTING.Domestic animals in the USA live in better condition than this,it is ridiculous how you leaders traet your own kind,the almighty will deal with you all accordingly.Its a matter of time before we get a reapeat of 1979.
calling for 1979 again, time to overthrow this government.
Thomas Letang saying the he have to make to govt sign an mou cause he cannot trusts there words, if a country cannot trusts the people it paying taxes too my God Dominica is doomed under skerrit.
But AA pinard you promote. You do not want to solve the workers problem but you want them to stop protesting? Go ahead and send in SSU with tear gas and machine gun to put them under manners, but you all will fail to protect the tourist that is bringing the income into the economy.
Papa Bondieur this despotic government was giving out toilets for vote. To those greedy Laborites selling toilets from the pre-election stack please find it within your heart to donate a toilet to public works so that the works can go to the toilet with dignity.
Guys, you all be careful. Thsi maybe a pretext to firing you all and liquidate PWC because that was the intention all along, since cabinet allegedly decided to sell the site to Chinese interests.
Best you call off your strike and replace it with work-to-rule.
So you really think that Dominicans will just standby and allow that to happen…Well!!!
Actually yes. What you think a Labourite is by definition? Remember they in the majority. Elections were just held or was it a dream?