SSA workers express concerns
Just over 200 Sanitation Service Authority (SSA) workers cast a secret ballot on Friday afternoon to indicate their willingness in shifting workdays to include weekends.
The group met with the leaders of their bargaining agent – the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) – at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre for an almost four-hour-long meeting to discuss whether or not they would take Government’s proposal to move from the traditional work week of Monday to Friday to either working any five days out of the week; any five out of six days, with a weekend day as a mandatory off day; or working a shorter week with longer hours to get the required 40 hours.
Speaking to The Barbados Advocate, one worker said with the demand that an answer be given ahead of next month’s Social Partnership meeting, it felt as though persons were being pushed to take the options with weekends.
“All of this is to cut out overtime, but working weekends is not going to solve the problem. There is a need for more trucks to be able to get more loaders picking up the garbage that piling up in the neighbourhoods,” she said.
Another said he was willing to work the weekend day, but wanted to see an increase in wages.
“The five of six should be implemented, but due to the type of work the loaders do, they should not only give this day but should be getting something in return,” he added.
Another joined in this belief, insisting that loaders, like everyone else at the Authority, only received $13.07 per day in hazard pay additional to their wages.
“This is nothing, especially when some have been stuck by needles, cut by sardine and corn beef cans, and even have to deal with picking up excrement,” she stressed, adding: “So if Government wants changes to be done to save money, we want changes to be done to save lives. Pay the loaders more and give them proper medical (insurance) too.”
Speaking to the media after the meeting, but being short on details NUPW President Akanni McDowall said while some persons were flexible, others were not and it was a matter now of tallying up the votes.
NUPW Acting General Secretary, Delcia Burke, sought to allay fears of some workers, reminding them Government had never mentioned the SSA as one of the institutions where there would be lay-offs and to date, not one sanitation worker has been sent home.
“As it stands now, Sanitation is short of staff. Persons who have retired or who have left, have not been replaced,” she stated. (JMB)