Public officers who did not report to work as a result of industrial action taken by the Unions, may not be paid for the days they spent off the job. This decision, made by Cabinet was announced by Minister for Trade, Industry and Co-operatives, Hon Oliver Joseph, during this week’s Post-Cabinet Briefing. According to him, the Cabinet’s decision is in keeping with the Law, especially since the Unions did not follow the procedures as far as he is aware.

This statement stemmed from the actions taken by Unions regarding their dissatisfaction with Government’s offer of 2% on pension gratuities. President of the Grenada Union of Teachers (GUT), Lydon Lewis, advised his membership to rest and contemplate on government’s offer, resulting in them not reporting to work on Monday 5 November 2018.

Despite the efforts of the government ministers to get teachers back on the jobs, the GUT membership stood firm and stayed off their jobs. This move created havoc among many as students who reported to schools had to return home.

Education Minister, Hon Emmalin Pierre, issued a statement admonishing the teachers to return to work and reminding them to keep the nations’ children’s interest in mind. However, the Minister’s words seemed to fall on deaf ears.

After several days of the GUT membership remaining off the job, they have been joined wholeheartedly and supported by the membership of the Public Workers Union (PWU) under the leadership of President Rachel Roberts.

Roberts, responded to Minister Joseph’s statements regarding the deduction of salaries for workers who did not report to work, saying, “First of all, we see this as total intimidation of workers.” She added too that every worker has a right to remove themselves from the job if they feel that there is an issue that is disturbing to them. Therefore, the threats of not paying workers who did not report to work do not scare the Union, because they are prepared to stand up for their future. “We know that that 2% gratuity that the Government is offering will not benefit us.”

And, she insisted that they will not be backing down because they are not afraid. “If the government wants to take out from our salaries, we say let them go ahead…try to instil fear in workers [but] we are not afraid because we know what we’re fighting for.”

According to Roberts, the Union intends to stand firm and put all their resources behind this battle. “We are not going to go home in poverty. We are not afraid!”

The Unions appear to be standing firm with each other and continue to express grave disappointment with the Government’s 2% gratuity offer, which, according to Hon Oliver Joseph, is even more beneficial to the workers than the 25% gratuity the Union is calling for.

The Government proposes a 2% gratuity payment and 98% as a worker’s pension. And, according to Joseph, this means that public offers will be getting more like a pension, and, also, every time the public sector workers get an increase in salary, pensioners also receive an increase.  Therefore, he insists that workers are offered a higher pension than what the unions were asking for.

Minister Joseph is calling on the Unions to return to the workplace and go back to the negotiating table. He says Government is not just blatantly refusing to pay, but it has to work in the interest of the country. “This government cannot afford to neglect all the other sectors in society. We need to stimulate economic growth in the country…it would be highly irresponsible for this Government, or any government to get into an agreement that would see the other sectors of society suffering. And, therefore, we call on the Unions to go back to the bargaining table, to sit with the Pension committee to see how we can reach [an] agreement on this matter.”