Highway workers strike - Employees walk off job, padlock gates after subsistence cut By Janet Silvera, Freelance Writer WESTERN BUREAU: THE NORTHERN Coastal Highway received another blow yesterday as operators, drivers, quarry men and tractor rollers padlocked the gates to the site and walked off the job at Reading, St. James. The workers went on strike after National Works Agency (NWA) cut their subsistence. The $11,172.00 subsistence which the workers received every fortnight made up more than 60 per cent of their salary. Threatening to block the roads from Montego Bay to Negril today, if they get no recourse, the workers are being backed by their union, United Union of Jamaica, which feels they have been treated unjustly. "These men have been accustomed to their subsistence allowance for many, many years now, under the agreement between the government and the union, they are entitled. It helps to pay their rent and travelling which is already inadequate, so we support their protest," said James Francis, president of the United Union of Jamaica, the union representing the workers. The 120 temporary workers are employed to the Transport Ministry and based in Montego Bay. Some have held this status for up to 40 years. Last Friday, May 25, they received letters of termination from Mrs. Sarah Wilmot, senior director, human resources in the Ministry. Majority of the workers say they were re-employed by the NWA effective May 28. However, although their salaries remained the same, the subsistence they had been getting for over 20 years was removed. "My basic pay is now $7,542.00 per fortnight, how can I pay rent of $7,000 per month, buy food and travel, many of us are from as far as Portland, St. Mary, St. Catherine and Clarendon," said Vincent Sinclair, a mechanical operator for over 28 years. The North Coast Highway project has been plagued with strikes, stoppages and overspending of budget since construction started in September 1997. Yesterdays' strike by the men working the Reading, St. James to Mesquita Cove, Hanover leg is the project's latest. When The Gleaner team visited the scene tempers flared in the hot sun, one People's National Party activist was heard lamenting about the workers plans to try to overthrow the Prime Minister and the Government, while management locked themselves in the confines of their air-conditioned offices. As a result of the strike the National Works Agency has called a meeting to discuss the issues with the workers for 1:00 p.m. today. "This is with a view to hear their grouses and settle the issue, so that work on the project will continue, in order for us to meet our December deadline," said Vanda Palmer, Communications and Customer Service manager, NWA. He said temporary workers are not entitled to subsistence under normal circumstances, and that they are now under new contracts. These same employees have received subsistence under the Rural Road Improvement Project (RIP), and the now defunct Public Works Department. However, Mr. Palmer says the NWA is not concerned about the past.
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