Sickout by immigration officers results in delays, disgruntled passengers
Published:Tuesday | March 14, 2023 | 1:30 AMCorey Robinson/Senior Staff Reporter
The island’s two major airports came under strain on Monday, after dozens of immigration officers reportedly called in sick, forcing long lines, heavy delays, and planeloads of frustrated passengers.
The protests are for much more than compensation, said the disgruntled workers; they are about being heard and valued at the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), an organisation where they say they are always left for last.
The protests resulted from their dissatisfaction with the Government’s compensation package now under review and other issues at the agency.
PICA CEO Andrew Wynter told The Gleaner that the island’s two main airports minimised the disruption experienced.
One immigration officer, who spent the day at home after reporting sick, said that he and his colleagues were very frustrated.
“We are always left for last, and it is the same for this compensation exercise. In fact, it is just another example of being left for last for everything inside this agency,” he said.
“If they are having an annual staff retreat, they give all the other departments weekends and we get day passes. To further complicate the situation, there have been a lot of other monetary issues regarding allowances as far back as 10 years ago. Things like special mileage allowance,” he charged, citing a lack of confidence in leadership.
The officer claimed that the immigration department has been extremely short-staffed while the customer service outfit is overstaffed. Other officers explained that the issue has weakened border security.
Before, immigration officers were tasked with visiting establishments to identify persons believed to be on the island illegally, charged one officer. Today, those activities no longer exist, he said.
Efforts by The Gleaner to speak with National Security Minister Horace Chang, whose ministry has overall responsibility for PICA, were futile on Monday.
In a letter to the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, National Workers Union (NWU) General Secretary Granville Valentine listed the payment of special allowances to officers who are rotated between the major airports and the issues with the payment of increments earned in the 2021-2022 financial year as sticking points. It also highlighted the disparity in payment of the senior allowance, asking for clarification of mileage for work done on public holidays and on payment of subsistence allowance.
The NWU represents about 200 immigration officers, and Valentine said that he is hoping to meet with the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service on Tuesday to iron out the concerns.
In the meantime, he said, that the Government, especially the security minister, should demand greater accountability from PICA executives.
“The people are adamant that they are frustrated for too long. They have been abused and victimised for too long by those who should be looking out for their compensation,” said Valentine.
“The immigration officers, along with the PICA workers, are saying, ‘We are equally important’, and they are not backing down. There is nothing that anyone can tell these workers at this time,” he argued.
On Monday, passengers at the Norman Manley International Airport complained of long waits following flights from the United States. One male passenger said he had been waiting at the airport for two hours as immigration staff directed him and others to kiosks at arrival.