Some 28 employees of LIME’s technical department called in sick on Thursday to express their disgust in the way the telecommunication giant is handling its outsourcing arrangements with Sweden-based Ericsson.
The workers vow to continue the action until they are heard.
“It is not going to be for today,” a source told DNO. “As you know the weekend is a holiday weekend and it is running into all of next week. The position we have taken on this is we would sick out as long as it is necessary. Can you imagine, now I am not saying this will happen, the island is without internet, the island is without cell phone coverage, the island is without telephone service for extended period of time. You can imagine what could happen in a situation like that.”
LIME has outsourced its technical services to Ericsson and the company’s technical staff, which will be made redundant, are of the view that they will not be rehired when Swedish company takes over on November 25.
They are also not happy with the redundancy package being offered by LIME on the basis that it should be equal to other regional islands.
“Management has not been negotiating in good faith,” the source said.”They have not moved from their position and we think that the redundancy payments that are being offered in our sister countries should be equal to what is being offered here in Dominica, especially taking into consideration that LIME is regional business.”
According to the source the workers “have exhausted all possible avenues in trying to resolve this matter in a professional and diplomatic way.”
“Our last resort is to get the prime minister and the government of Dominica involved and we are waiting a response from the prime minister in this matter,” the source stated.
The source stated the staff members had written to the manager of LIME’s southern cluster and the response was negative. “We believe management is taking for granted the many years that LIME staff has loyally invested into the company,” the source noted.
At this stage the source said the worker and LIME are at a deadlock on the matter.
“So as to get the attention of the management and the board of directors we are taking strike action, we ‘sicking out’ for a period of time,” the source said.
tell jeffery go pray
tell the GM is turn next
Don’t stop fighting DA,the BVI in the same Boat.
Don’t stop fighting DA,the BVI the am boat.
lol take the redundant money and shut your mouth, i understand that 28 of you going home, what about the 243 from clear harbor workers,and Brizee’s Mart you are so stupid calling in sick with intention of
“ the position we have taken on this is we would sick out as long as it is necessary” 
remember that by LAW if your are fired, there are not legible to pay you sh*t. so kiss the little 3-13weeks pay good bye. be smart dominican, the company don’t belong to your mother and father, they can withdrawn with notice anytime they want… 
What is the point here? U sound totally and utterly lost and confused!!
@Mona Lisa, are you serious? While everyone is complaining about unemployment, to OUTSOURCE the jobs that could help the economy, YOU are asking that the employees reconsider. These employees are right, they stood up too late already. They are right by DEMANDING their PAY to be EQUIVALENT to that of the employees in the surrounding Countries that use LIME as their source of communication. Does Dominica pay unemployment? WHY OUTSOURCE these people’s ONLY source of income, by far? Although LIME can do whatever they want with their business, personally, I WOULD NOT SUBSCRIBE to ANYTHING that carries THEIR LABEL or ATTACHED to THEIR LABEL.
the point is at the end of the day by the law of dominica, it can’t change the amount there are getting….. and there are only messing up there own reputation of getting other job. remember the lord never give us more than we can bear, doors are close for a reason, for better things to happen… i learn that the hard way…
hhhmm..i remember 10 years ago lime workers used to act like they walking on clouds and not roads like the rest of us….As for the Customer Service Dept, no one could “dress better”. SMFH…things does really change
I see a brown lime vehicle working in possie today so not all of them strike.
Tell some of them rain doeh fall on one house tops
the package is most likely based on the dominica market and whatever the averages are to their salaries…just cause its a regional company doesnt mean every islands budget will be the same.. some islands talk more than others
Most likely……..hmmmmmm…….u not sure so don’t !!!
There is legislation on redundancy. The law is specific on calculating redundancy benefits, so consult it. Additionally, there is a collective agreement respecting the staff of lime and it contains the formula for calculating redundancy payments. So what the heck is the issue? If the staffs want more than what they are entitled to, it is a matter for negotiations. Until a better package is agreed, the staffs are entitled to what is on the books.
Well you have used an important term here…”NEGOTIATIONS”. From my understanding that is where the deadlock is and seems one no side is budging.
Also the last agreement is expired as of April 2013 and a new one is being NEGOTIATED. Therefore the new proposals includes what the staff body is requesting of the company and is based on what other offices in the region is enjoying.
is the staffs for true – not the staff
I think their main concern is that they are loosing their jobs to OUTSOURCE.
exactly my point i don’t know why these wise ppl can’t get the drift
Of course the currency rate is different, but the company should still pay the equivalent to that of the other Country. KFC’s two (2) piece chicken dinner is $3.99 US you sell same for $10+.
@heart bleeds
You hit the nail on the head
I Joining the protest,I not sing my LIME phone until all you go back to work.
The LIME employees should not walk out, they should go in and do NOTHING as their way of protesting. As long as they are in the building and on the clock they would have to be paid.
@ Slim,
Where do you work??? Wot do you do?? First u say now is time for Ericsson to bring in the technical staff then you say u love what Reagan did in the 80s, Fire them all the system cannot be that too complex. U want them all fired eh??? Here is my suggestion to you…..Gather urself a few Chinese, Haitians and Spanish and go do it!!
Lang Loo……So dem prefer foreign D/cans over local D/cans man…….interesting!!
Have you not noticed?
digicel is here for all
How is it for all when they are OUTSOURCING YOUR JOBS?
Please exclude Portsmouth in this internet shutdown… remember it is where Ross University is located with the students. It will affect us deeply…. Dominica depends on the students and Ross University for our economic maintenance. Students are taking exams while Dominicans are partying over the weekend, ain’t got time for internet shutdown… so exclude Portsmouth from that…. But I support you your plight.
So what about our Dominican online students? All Saints University Students? Local E-businesses? Ross Students more important than all of them?
Economic maintenance? Is that! Put a few students that spend only on rent and groceries above your own people. For shame!
Is this not everyone does? I always heard that charity begins at home, but to some people charity is for strangers.
Don’t be silly. There are other Internet service providers (ISPs)on the island.
Don’t tell the person to be silly. If you were living in the Portsmouth area you would understand what the person is making reference to. Is who that in the fire that will feel the heat.
Maybe competition is LIMES reason for outsourcing, but they should meet with the employees to discuss the matter.
make the share holder lose some money.we the customers do not like lime already.
I agree with you in part, but if you are dissatisfied why are you with the company?
I loved what deceased president Regan did back in the 80s , air traffic controllers when on strike, he fire all of them, wasn’t it an essential service, in this day of technology the world is a global village, there are a so many highly trained techs , brush those guys and keep things going. The system could not be that complex.
“The system could not be that complex.” Lololololol
Bring the best Brain we have in Dominica, or better yet bring in the best brain in Ericsson, he would not know his left hand from his right, even if we showed him.
Someone once said ” we dont need these qualified staff, we will get college students, pay them pennies and get them to do the work, look at the mobile shop now.
I love Reagan
Stupes! Why should skerrit intervene? What is the political benefit to him? Do any of you have large families in close contested seats? Leave skerrit out of all u business.
Don’t touch our internet please.
after be loyal to lime that how the staffers are being treated stand up for all your rights do what ever it take so they can listen and meet u half way.STAND WITH U ALL ON THIS ONE SICK OUT AS LONG AS IT TAKES.
Teach Domincans how to stand up for what is right and PROTEST.
You all need to be respected.
Pray! Pray!
Every thing must go down customers we are sorry dont blame us when it happens.
but of course you going to blame you all when it happens…
There’s a course they teach in school called English… you should check it out
And so it goes with Dominica`s very first Communication Provider, what a shame it has to come to this. No service from any of the products they offer. Excuses, excuses, excuse, excuses after another; what next Lime, Lemon, Mango, Avocado or gooseberry?!
Is a good thing I doh have LIME internet.
Ben Dover, that was a very very very selfish statement. Apparently you did not think before you typed that. There are many very important institution in Dca who used LIME such as the hospitals, police stations, fire stations. I pretty sure if your house is burning down and you fall sick and need an ambulance, you would be pretty happy for some to call first responders – who all have LIME service by the way.
IKR! lmao! is a good thing is marpin I have!
that because other Caribbean offices generates more money than the one in Dominica , simply u cannot give them the same package
what do you know about other offices?? them big execs of lime just coming aboard for 2-3 yrs and walking away with 5 million dollars bonus while lime dominica staff gave their lives to that damn company and they refuse to be paid a mere 20 thousand dollars.
you can say what you want fact is fact so if i have some one in st.Lucia office bringing in 50,000 per say and someone in Dominica bring me 20,000 u expect me to pay them the same salary as reflects to the package go to school for god sakes and stop making stupid comments
Fact: LIME (That’s just the 13 islands) made about a 100M under a billion US dollars in a failing Caribbean economy
The NEW British CEO is being hired at annual salary of UK pounds 800,000.00/year + a UK pounds bonus of 1.2M. It is high time for the crab mentality to cease in our backward islands and wake up and smell the coffee. The workers have always been the shafted ones in this whole sour deal.
@ heart bleeds…Speak to what you know, that is a malicious and deceitful statement. An outright lie!!!!!
You really can’t read.
It is the rate which is question not the quantity.
momo
@ heart Bleeds. If that is true, then the worst performing Business Unit, which is Jamaica, should have been paid pennies, yet all their staff received lavished packages, which we call hush money, so they would keep quite and all the other BUs will sign on to the idea of out sourcing to Ericsson. The packages was so huge , that many staff members chose not to work again.
On another point: for your Information, Dominica was one of the better performing Business units in the pass few years, so be very careful when you come here with your crap.
since i look at the grids every day i wont wait for You to tell me which country Generates More Money ….Jamaica Has A lower currency rate But much more ppl living on the island that mean more income per capita for lime ……you guys speak under frustration and that where ignorance sets in
@ Heart bleeds
Yes I know they speak under the fustration of LIME promises given to them for years now and never met by LIME….like JDs and salary increases?? What do you think?? What would you do??
Now is time to bring in the technical staff from Ericsson.
im telling you thats wats they should doso automatically there put there self outside..
Oh dear dear……..you wrote this about 12 hours ago and it took me this long to understand what you said……And like i said to the SLIM you are backing up……You and him/her can get some foreign workers as you all indicating and do it and put the local Dominicans outside……..YOUR WORDS
Bring them in, we will welcome them.for the first 9 months the will be catching their @$$.
The wealth of knowledge and experience that exist among the staff body is irreplaceable. All the other Big islands like Barbados, St. Lucia, Jamaica, Cayman cant step in our shoes when it comes to technical expertise. Bring them come.
What technical staff? There are more idiots per island in the Caribbean than there are in the world collectively. If don’t know the truth, shut up!
we right next to lime and our services down .well look it me Bowdel.
somebody is the main line at portsmouth Hospital 2665600 working? please call and respond here it aint ringing from my digi phone .somebody please ! this is an essential service eh!Ebeh weh Lime !!!
IT DOWN , I just tried.
So this is Why we have no telephone service at work, Lime better come good eh . My Boss must sue all you for no phone service
Shut down everything self until someone listens….
we shutting down every thing…every damn thing
hmmmm LIME is really falling apart …….
Boy them lime employees don’t mess around!!
hmmm your people in action u talkin about internet country bukeeeee
So it has come to this eh? This is what happens when a company does not respect staff, does not listen to staff, and is not concerned. It was only a matter of time. LIME Dominica employees have been frustrated for some time now and I believe they are serious about this strike. Pray your internet don’t drop this weekend cuz there will be no one to fix it.
my internet dropped over a weekend and I fix the problem my self, Lime said till Monday they would come and fix it I say SCREW that, found a way to fix it myself
hhhaaaaa so it is right for LIME employees to ‘protest’ by way of sick out….
Yet NOT RIGHT for citizens of a country to do the same, when things not right smh…..
Keep on fighting for your right technical employees of LIME….
So customers, dont’t blame the front line staff of phonetec!!
STAND for your Rights!!!!! too much happening in DA…..Stand strong….
All of these problems at lime only came since ignorance and arrogance came to the top…….Who vex lost……FACT is FACT lime never had all these issues before in the days of CR,IB,NB, and CJ
And the winner is???—Digicel
The loser??— Innocent customers.
You are so right………………that’s why LIME cannot backdown. LIME MUST change to stay in the market because Digicel is up their behind.
Your internet will be fine………
LIME again! Management please listen to the cry of the employees. They are right LIME claimed to be one Caribbean. Why not one Caribbean in the redundancy package being offered by LIME?
Shame on you LIME!
Wow!This is serious!
Way papa; I hope internet does not go down this weekend.
hope could be as dominant as the rock of Gibraltar or as frail as a dandelion in the wind!! keep hoping my friend drink Kubuli!
you too sweff internet GO OUTSIDE