NWC asks restive workers to remain calm

The management of the National Water Commission (NWC) is appealing to disgruntled workers to exercise restraint as effort is being made to address compensation issues.

The company says it is committed to working with the workers and their unions as well as the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service to effectively resolve all outstanding matters relating to the Public Sector Compensation Review Process in the shortest possible time.

It says while it understands the concerns and anxieties of staff regarding delays in the implementation of the compensation review, the management is asking for their continued understanding and patience.

The appeal comes as the Ministry of Labour and five unions representing restive NWC workers are to meet this afternoon at a conciliatory meeting as the authorities try to avert a strike over salary issues. 

The ministry said Sunday it invited the representatives to the talks in response to the 72-hour strike notice that the unions said was served on Saturday evening.

The ministry said it was served on Sunday morning.

"The issues relate to discontent over the pay bands developed for the NWC, particularly at the lower ends and the conversion principles but we do not want to go into details in the media at this time," General Secretary of Jamaica Association of Local Government Officers Helene Davis-White she told The Gleaner. 

The more than 2,000 NWC workers are represented by the Jamaica Association of Local Government Officers; the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union; the National Workers' Union; the Union of Public and Private Employee and the NWC Executive Staff Association. 

Last year, the workers went on strike for two days, crippling business and public service activities.

The NWC lost about $240 million in revenue. 

Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.