Don’t be surprised if there’s a work stoppage at the Sanitation Service Authority (SSA) this month or in December.
A number of SSA workers issued this warning quietly yesterday following a meeting at the agency’s Wildey, St Michael complex that ended on a controversial note.
The meeting, which acting manager Rosalind Knight called to address issues, including a “critical” shortage of refuse-collecting trucks because of mechanical breakdowns, reportedly had an abrupt ending, with workers complaining that Knight had insulted a worker who challenged her about the absence of key SSA and Ministry of the Environment and Drainage officials at the briefing.
“An apology was offered and accepted, but it was not done in full view of those attending the meeting, which we thought was wrong and which some people thought was enough ground for a work stoppage there and then,” said a driver who did not want to be identified.
“In fact, some people were so angry about some of the things said at the meeting that they refused to work and left for home soon after.”
One of the major issues coming out of the meeting was whether SSA crews would continue to be paid for five weekly working days even though they might be working only two or three days with the majority of trucks being shifted from one division to another to collect garbage.
Please read the full story in today’s MIDWEEK NATION, or in the eNATION edition.
