Workers end PWC protest

Workers said they have not been paid for four fortnights
Workers said they have not been paid for four fortnights

Protest action by staff of the Public Works Corporation (PWC) has officially come to an end.

The protest, which lasted for up to two days at the PWC’s Goodwill Road location, was over the late payment of salaries spanning four fortnights and other issues currently affecting staff.

The protest began on Wednesday when workers locked the gate to the facility and on Thursday afternoon the Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU), management and board of directors of the PWC met to discuss the matter.

Another meeting, which included staff of the PWC, was held on Friday at the DPSU’s building on Valley Road.

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.”

He said many of the issues raised were beyond the PWC’s management and directors; one of them being $700,000 that is being owed to the Dominica Social Security (DSS) from 2011.

“Can they give a commitment that this money will be paid by next month or whatever? That may not be possible but in that MOU we will have an undertaking as to what will be done within a specified period of time,” Letang said on state-owned DBS Radio.

Meantime Chairman of the Board of the PWC, Titus Francis, said the meeting was a “very good” one and they heard how the workers felt.

“I think in the end we had a very good understanding that moving forward one, that the protest action will end, the employees do not prevent management access to the work place,” he said. “We are going to sit down together with the Union and establish some kind of understanding as to how we are going to get these issues addressed. So basically that’s the way forward.”

He said some level of normalcy will be seen at the PWC on Monday morning and the board will meet by Tuesday to chart a way forward in solving the challenges.

He stated discussions have been held with government to make outstanding payments to the employees “at least some time in the course of next week.”

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11 Comments

  1. May 18, 2015

    So mamys calling kari to say lenox like adolf hiltler for not paying his secretary for one month public works hasnt been paid for how many months but not a single red flag 8s being raised about the issue .boy boy only in dominica sad

  2. May 17, 2015

    Does this sound like foolishness or what?
    Does this not sound like a one sided unfair verbal supposed contract?
    What do you think happened to honor,respect, willingness to care for and consider another?

  3. investigator
    May 16, 2015

    Really PWD as a quasi government institution has been over the years been sidelined and marginalised in favor of GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS to private companies over the years….
    These companies are reputed to be owned by rumour by Government Ministers and their connections …..of course this requires investigation….
    if this is the case something smells….why is the PWD left to die at the expense of private parties with political associations .?

  4. May 16, 2015

    This so-called protest was a joke to begin with. Dominicans do not like copy-cats and followers. I’m sure my dear Supreme Leader heard of this idiotic betrayal and laughed as he finally has the excuse to get rid of these lazy bums who sit around all day doing nothing. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we see the total dismantling of the PWC, re-positioning Management into other more viable departments. Our wise and ordained Prime Minister is a genius in psychological warfare. I believe this was his plan from the beginning. Just let them hang themselves and they surely did.

  5. Love All
    May 16, 2015

    That $700,000.00 they owe to social security the bigger portion of it is monies deducted from the workers. Employers should do the right thing the monies you deduct from your workers are not yours. That is why I question VAT I wonder what percentage of the monies collected for VAT is being paid to government.

  6. Shameless
    May 16, 2015

    Condee un bon zamie en st.Tomas, “Pas Peechay Mwen! Guvelment sala quiyonnay zor encore :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

    But, I await they holding their end of the bargain with baited breath.
    Assertive, NOT Aggressive! :mrgreen:

  7. Under your watch!!!
    May 16, 2015

    Uuuuuuummmmmmmmmm!!! so the 300.000 that was supposedly found was not sufficient then to pay the outstanding salaries!! And now the truth has come out regarding the social security payments as well!! AND YET THE GOVERNMENT IS TALKING ABOUT PRUDENT MANAGEMENT OF THE ECONOMY RESULTING IN A STRONG ECONOMY WHEN THIS IS THE REALITY UNDER THEIR WATCH?? hHHMMMM

  8. goodie
    May 15, 2015

    workers is correct DNO75% is salisbuty people

  9. Joeblo
    May 15, 2015

    I am very surprised that after year of non-payment of wages, the union is employing the same strategy. Meeting after meeting, Hellooooo ….. Even Domlec changed their meters, that why they made $14.0m. While I’m at it …. Mrs McKay, you don’t have to raise the price of sugar to increase the cooost, all you have to do is give 13 ounces. I know this calculation is probably too simple to be answered from a scientific calculator, but at least we can count to 20 on our fingers and tooooes ….deuuuuuh!!!

    I am very surprised that the DPSU has not shown any solidarity action to support the Public Works Garage employees. If it’s the same union, what affects one affects all. Why do you thing the Antigua Bankers are being listened too? Ah ha!!

    The worse thing to do is to wound a wild animal. Espayweh zor kay sav!!

  10. Joeblo
    May 15, 2015

    Man it’s one thing for someone to fool you and another to fool your own self. We are going to sign an MOU to agree that the money may not be paid by next month. We cannot guarantee that the $700,00 will be paid…..

    This was a good meeting, we didn’t feel how the workers felt but we head how they felt……

    “I think in the end we had a very good understanding that moving forward one, that the protest action will end, the employees do not prevent management access to the work place,” he said. “We are going to sit down together with the Union and establish some kind of understanding as to how we are going to get these issues addressed. So basically that’s the way forward.”

    So an MOU was signed to basically ensure that there would be to more lockouts of Management. Obviously there will be new procedures regarding employees having any keys to the premises.

  11. Michael
    May 15, 2015

    No more protest until the next default in payment. PWC will continue to be in the lurch until it is properly structured and given steady work to do by the Government of Dominica.

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