Power cuts loom as JPS, union clash
Published:Saturday | August 14, 2021 | 12:09 AM
The public is being warned to brace for possible power outages in the coming days as the technical and administrative staff of the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) is restive, reportedly over the non-payment of some benefits.
In a release yesterday, the Union of Clerical Administrative and Supervisory Employees (UCASE), which represents the workers, said that performance-based pay due to the staff from 2018 for the years 2016 and 2017 were still outstanding.
The union claimed that the management had indicated in recent meetings that the monies earmarked for the payment had been spent.
“The union is rejecting that kind of response and is urging the management not to put themselves in a position where they can be accused of wage theft,” the UCASE release said.
It also claimed that although the workers had not received their payments, all managers were paid in full up to last year.
The JPS has expressed surprise at the union’s statements, saying that there was no signed agreement between the company and the unions for this incentive payment.
JPS head of corporate communications, Winsome Callum, also noted that the matter has been before the Ministry of Labour for the past three years and is yet to be finalised.
“There is standard procedure that companies and unions are required to follow on a matter has been referred to the ministry,” she added. “The unions are well aware that the company can take no action on this matter until it is resolved at the ministry.”