UPDATE: PWC board agrees to pay staff; union threatens more protest

Letang

The Public Works Corporation (PWC) said it is working to settle outstanding payments to staff, after meeting with the union which represents the workers.

Finance was one of the matters that surfaced at the talks, held Tuesday, between management of PWC and Public Service Union, following several staff protests. Their latest action came Tuesday when more than half of the employees called in sick.

The PWC board has called on employees to be tolerant and said it would confirm its position on gratuity for workers today (Wednesday).

But General Secretary of the Dominica Public Service Union Thomas Letang said unless the PWC board brings forth evidence of its decision to pay workers at the end of November, protest action “in all forms” will continue.

Members of the Board of the PWC meet for hours on Tuesday, to seek an amicable solution regarding nonpayment of salaries, lack of projects and outstanding issues of gratuity and insurance for workers.

Letang said at the meeting the board made statements to the effect that they would be making payments to the workers by the end of November 2011 but he will not accept any word of mouth details.

“We want everything in writing. We don’t want any verbal agreement. We are not going to accept anything in writing and they will have to convince us that they will do what they say,” he said.

According to Letang, apart from the written commitment, the board must also address outstanding issues in terms of gratuity and jobs.

He said a number of areas of the collective agreement signed between the board and the PSU have not been honored by the public works corporation.

“It is easy to say yes we will do this and yes we will do that. We want evidence. We want action…the workers are suffering”, he explained.

The PWC board has called on employees to be tolerant and said it would confirm its position on gratuity for workers today (Wednesday).

“The meeting was quite fruitful. We are working feverishly to ensure that payment is made to all fortnightly and monthly paid workers,” Board Chairman Richard Didier said.

He said the sick-out has “considerably” affected the corporation.

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20 Comments

  1. ?????
    November 23, 2011

    LETANG you have backbone man… Your popularity has increased a little..

  2. Abu Sulayman
    November 23, 2011

    The people are not protesting hard enough. They need to stand by financial center, do like the Egyptians, bring their tents and overnight there until their demands are met. This is absolute nonsense now! It’s nonsense government doing now, these people using their funds in activities which are unimportant yet cannot pay their workers?

    • 1979
      November 23, 2011

      I would hug you if you was next to me sulayman! though we dont agree on everything and ive perhaps been a bit too critical of you, but there are some things that we see exactly the same, happy x-mas bro

  3. Anonymous
    November 23, 2011

    I find all you like too much roo roo…..Next level

  4. good2know
    November 23, 2011

    Thinking of it, there will be little left to tax because the Chinese Store milking the country dry. All our little money going back to China while our export earning declining every month. Unless we invest in our farmers and revitalize our cottage industries to start adding value to our products we on shit street with the way things going.

  5. Oh Oh
    November 23, 2011

    What about all the truckers, merchants, etc that they owe? When are they going to settle?

    • 1979
      November 23, 2011

      Come and strike tomorrow, ALL CONCERNED should attend!!!!!!!!!!!!

  6. 1985
    November 23, 2011

    i am waiting to see if they will get it and wen they get it it finish because them ppl owing on there bills loans u name it that is a shame lord help them they are hard workers and dis is wat they get in return and try to pay them on time without money they cant survive christmas is coming they need there money

  7. G-man
    November 23, 2011

    pay those ppl and vex with them>> those that holding back the payment im sure their large lump sum is garanteed while they playing with lower ranked ppl monies. not that im encouraging it but tey wonder why crime is on the increase.

    dont play with MY money, moola, lettuce, green liquid, pe-esh,bloods, dreads, green backs, dead presidents, dinero,”sty-pen” , just dont!!!

  8. Amazed!
    November 23, 2011

    Please keep to ur words. my dad and uncle work there and i know they have plenty fortnights and mileage on the table. plz pay them and the others. they got obligations. I am at least happy to hear that the meeting between the board and the Union was fruitful.

  9. Porssie Radical
    November 23, 2011

    This issue is in direct correlation to today’s article about the state house. The fiscal management of this administration is a total disaster. As indicated by many the governments disregard for the PWC maybe part of a bigger scheme to satisfy terms and condition of exclusive deals for Chinese business men.

    We are experiencing the results of a non existing economic plan. If I am to wear the mask of the Laborites let me ask for the evidence that this administration has done anything to better the economic situation in Dominica. Maybe Eric and Jude Nicholas can provide some evidence for us.

    At the helm of our economic affairs is the PM and minister of finance who by all indication is out of his league. We did not need a WIKILEAKS to tell us so , nor do I need friends and cabal of the DLP to admit to me that Roosvelt Skerrit is like a minor league player who by default play into the big league.Sort of like the son of Gadaffi who called himself a professional soccer player when in truth and in fact he was just using money and influence to hang with professional soccer teams and player. I often wonder whether the seven advisors to the PM are really actively involved in the economic decisions therein. I was not amused nor amazed when one member of the DLP told me in confidence that “ Skerrit is an idiot”. I was a bit taken back by the phrase “ IDIOT” but I soon realize that he the term idiot was not just a “ loosy goosy” term – the guy was serious like “Pain Wasi”

    It is obvious that the PM does not understand the port folio. There are signs that he know how to grow his own personal finances at record rates. The PM like other government ministers could have learned on the job but averice , ego and dishonesty gave way to any ambition or goal that would ultimately benefit the economy. Dominicans were blown away by a short term handout campaign. Some of us are to ashamed or just to selfish to admit that the” tu show tu flam red clinicization” has not just destroyed the morals and belittle our people but has diminished our economy. Until we dust ourselves off ,assign the correct score to the PM examination we are most likely to remain on this precipitous dive. How could Roosevelt Skerrit learn when there is little or no time spent studying and understanding economics. To much time and resources spent on personal deals and trying to cover up indiscretions.

    • WIKILEAKS
      November 23, 2011

      Pawol passhi coco…not even sugar that can turn this wance passhi coco into a tablet

  10. heart broken
    November 23, 2011

    i am waiting to see and i will confirm if they got payed got family members working there

  11. Anonymous
    November 23, 2011

    How did we get into such embarrassing situations? The PWC and the Ministry for Communications and Works must work together for the benefit of the employees and the populace in general; not only in terms of concrete and asphalt, but in terms of jobs and maximizing the full benefit of the credit we commit our nation to. It/s a shame that this ministry has so many multi-million dollar projects and no thought was given to securing jobs for the local population. Did they think that the concrete was all that’s needed to blow our minds?

  12. Well said
    November 23, 2011

    :?: I am also hoping that they are able to pay the people who did work for the Corporation after so long.

    • 1979
      November 23, 2011

      SMH, why didn’t they come and protest with the employees??? Mmmm I see, everybody row their own boat in their own direction??? Let’s see how far we will get with this attitude

  13. 1979
    November 23, 2011

    That is just TAAAALLLKKKK mark my words!!! this is a chapter from the damage control handbook, I challenge ANYONE that this is BOUND and COMPELLED to happen again, This payment is just to comfort the fools, the real problem has not been addressed. Remember 1979 tell allu Dominicans that this problem is not resolved. We will be hearing the same story in 2012… NONSENSE…political appointees and stooges on this Board!!!

    • UPTOWN REBEL!!!
      November 23, 2011

      Hello! to my friend 79…first,let me ask you how you feeling?…What do you mean what I mean?….well, a little birdie told me you were very sick on Tuesday morning, So much so that you were unable to go to work….What do you mean..”Oh dat”….So wait a minute,you weren’t really sick?…I see, OK, I get your point….Don’t say too much,you may get yourself in trouble….Or they may very well intercept the check before it gets to you.

      In any even,congratulations my friend,the check is finally in the mail…Is that a smile that I am seeing on your face?…That’s good boy; since you are happy now, it simply means, the rest of us will be happy…finally!
      No?..What you mean?…”No justice,no peace”.
      What?..garcon you doh tired cause ruckus?…Alas,OK, how about for the remainder of the Holiday Season?…Deal?.

      But wait a minute…what am i saying,79, you got paid already didn’t you?…Yes,I almost forgot you cut a deal didn’t you…So much so that I read where you were even trying to cut another deal with de PM; i.e you will not reveal any of the inside secrets and deals, if he paid your colleagues their money….Hence your new name;”butter-knife”.

      Well, your bluff seems to have worked…everybody will be getting paid….

      Let me remind you,..tis the Season for giving,and this year I expect to receive a rather generous gift from you, my good friend…

      p.s….By the way…Thanks for the correction the other day,…I suppose I was suffering from a “Rick Perry” moment.

      Anyway….All the very best to you…
      Peace..

      REBEL!!!.

      • 1979
        November 23, 2011

        :-D rebel what you saying there nuh??? hahahaha I killing myself laughing there wi, i read it how many times to try and catch ur drift…..anyways, I’m hanging in there! come on you know I am not a “sell out” I don’t do under the table deals, because when the money finish is my kids that will be left with the short end of the stick…I was just being sarcastic…

        all the best to you and yours for the x-mas season rebel, stay safe and as cool as you are

        one love
        79!

  14. mariecherie
    November 23, 2011

    i hope u guys keep to ur words and pay the workers. its hard to come to work everyday and at the end no pay thats terrible.

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