The union representing workers at the Water and Sewerage Authority in Trinidad & Tobago (WASA) claims that the authority plans to dismiss more than 400 workers. And it says it is planning to use the courts to block WASA from sending home the workers just weeks before Christmas.
President General of the National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NUGFW) James Lambert, who is a member of the WASA Board, told local media some of the workers marked for dismissal have unbroken service of between eight and 10 years with WASA.
“This is nonsense," Lambert said. "The Government is making arrangements to spend $300 million to create 20,000 jobs in hot spots, but you are telling these 400 plus workers to go home one month before Christmas?
“What do you want these men and women to do, go in a hotspot and apply for a job? That is total madness,” Lambert declared. His reference to 'hot spots' is to a government plan to create thousands of jobs in special programs to assist people, particularly the youth, in selected communities.
Lambert charged that there is something sinister about the move by WASA. “We have information that while they are sending home these workers, they are bringing in other people to fill these positions,” he said.
However a WASA official denied Lambert’s claims.
Corporate Communications manager Daniel Plenty said the workers who are being sent home were engaged under the National Social Development Programme (NSDP) for implementation of special projects.
Plenty said these projects "are subject to the availability of project funding under the programme" adding that the NSDP workers do not form part of the Authority’s employee base.
"Notwithstanding this, with the unavailability of funding for certain projects notices were issued to affected workers in good faith in accordance with good Industrial Relations practice," Plenty added.
He said WASA also took specific steps to assist the workers in their transition from working under the program:
President General of the National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NUGFW) James Lambert, who is a member of the WASA Board, told local media some of the workers marked for dismissal have unbroken service of between eight and 10 years with WASA.
“This is nonsense," Lambert said. "The Government is making arrangements to spend $300 million to create 20,000 jobs in hot spots, but you are telling these 400 plus workers to go home one month before Christmas?
“What do you want these men and women to do, go in a hotspot and apply for a job? That is total madness,” Lambert declared. His reference to 'hot spots' is to a government plan to create thousands of jobs in special programs to assist people, particularly the youth, in selected communities.
Lambert charged that there is something sinister about the move by WASA. “We have information that while they are sending home these workers, they are bringing in other people to fill these positions,” he said.
However a WASA official denied Lambert’s claims.
Corporate Communications manager Daniel Plenty said the workers who are being sent home were engaged under the National Social Development Programme (NSDP) for implementation of special projects.
Plenty said these projects "are subject to the availability of project funding under the programme" adding that the NSDP workers do not form part of the Authority’s employee base.
"Notwithstanding this, with the unavailability of funding for certain projects notices were issued to affected workers in good faith in accordance with good Industrial Relations practice," Plenty added.
He said WASA also took specific steps to assist the workers in their transition from working under the program:
- A termination benefit will be paid to each worker based on a stipulated formula
- NEDCO was contracted to design and conduct a training programme that allows workers to be competitive entrepreneurs during their transition from the NSDP
- Financial and personal counselling services have been provided
Lambert said WASA has failed to follow the established policy under the Industrial Relations Act (IRA), which requires a company terminating the services of five or more workers to inform the majority union and also the Ministry of Labour, with reasons for wanting to terminate the services of those people.
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