General Secretary of the National Union of Public Workers, Roslyn Smith (right); and Acting Deputy General Secretary, Delcia Burke, as they briefed members of the media following yesterday’s emergency meeting.
Some workers in attendance at the meeting yesterday at NUPW headquarters.
NUPW: Junior officer not qualified for post
Thu, 11/03/2016 - 12:00am
THE National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) was not only disappointed, but surprised to hear that a decision was taken to fill the post previously held by NUPW President Akanni McDowall, before a meeting could take place with the Chief Personnel Officer to discuss the matter.
The Union’s bone of contention is that McDowall was abruptly reverted from the post of Health Planner 1, an acting senior position, to his substantive position of Environmental Health Assistant 1, an entry-level position; and reliable information suggests that the temporary post, which was recently held by McDowall, was filled by a junior officer, who is not qualified to hold the post. The Union has suggested that the officer acting in the temporary post is not only junior to McDowall, but to a number of other public officers as well.
The NUPW alleges that the head of McDowall’s section was not notified of the decision to revert him and is not in support of the action. Stressing that when McDowall was appointed to act in June 2016 he was placed in
a vacant position, the Union further revealed that another position in the same category will become vacant by year-end, when a senior officer proceeds on retirement. The Union has made it clear that McDowall has a Masters in Public Health and possesses the qualifications to fill the temporary post.
Following an emergency meeting called for all environmental health officers at NUPW headquarters in Dalkeith Road, St. Michael yesterday, NUPW General Secretary Roslyn Smith noted that she is still awaiting
a meeting with the Chief Personnel Officer on the matter. She also made the Union’s position clear, in reference to the desired outcome on this matter.
“We are still asking for a meeting to hear about the issue, what transpired. Bro. McDowall has not been given anything in writing, by word of mouth, nothing, as to why he was reverted from the position. And our understanding is that a junior officer has been placed in that position. So there are two things that we are looking at, having Bro. McDowall be placed in the position and the temporary officer obviously is superseding other officers within the public service, so it means that she would have to be removed from the position,” Smith declared. (RSM)