PSU: Reclassification still not settled

Elroy Boucher, General Secretary of the St.Vincent and the Grenadines Public Service Union (PSU), is convinced the Government is pushing the trade union around.{{more}}

This comes in the wake of a set of outstanding Reclassification issues that have not yet been settled.

In a letter to Godfrey Pompey, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, dated May 29th, 2009, the PSU called on the government to settle all outstanding issues as a matter of urgency.

Boucher disclosed that the reports from the Job Evaluation Team (JET) and the Appeals Committee were promised to the union since in January 2009, however, after five months, the union is still awaiting these reports.

Enquiries into the whereabouts of the reports have received responses that they are at Cabinet, said Boucher.

According to Boucher, there is a wide range of public servants who are yet to be reclassified. Some of these positions include: Artisans at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, Dental Assistants, Workers at the Cooperative Development, Drivers, and Dietic Technicians.

The General Secretary said that the situation is quite frustrating for some persons, because there are workers who are retiring and don’t know their fate.

“If the Government doesn’t have any money just say you don’t have any money,” said Boucher.

SEARCHLIGHT tried to contact Permanent Secretary Pompey on the issue, but was told by his office that he is out of state.(HN)