THE DRAINAGE UNIT’S headquarters in The Pine, St Michael was a scene of anger, embarrassment and deep gloom yesterday as Government’s sweeping programme of job cuts started to bite.
With reports that as many as 300 could be on the breadline, several workers employed under the unit’s Neat Programme made their way there to protest their termination.
Earlier in the morning, reported one supervisor, when the “verbal notice” was given at the unit’s St Philip depot, one female worker collapsed and had to be assisted by colleagues. Others, sources said, were so angry they “just started cursing”.
The general complaints were that they were verbally notified by supervisors only yesterday that it was the last day of the programme; that there were no letters of notice or termination; and no briefing session by senior officials of the unit.
Indications are this was just the beginning since other workers with longer service, many of whom would have “come over from the Ministry of Transport and Works”, have been told to “report to The Pine on Thursday morning” when it is expected they will learn more about their future employment with Government.
Yesterday morning some workers took the position that they were “sent home wrongfully”. They said they would keep turning up for work while their lawyer or trade union moved to resolve the problems.
