GPWU challenges contract terms amidst job evaluation

Public Workers Union (GPWU) President, Brian Grimes has called for a reconsideration of the Grenada Postal Corporation’s decision to place some workers on 6-month contracts without pay increases.

The move comes amid an ongoing job evaluation exercise, leaving over a hundred affected workers in a precarious situation.

Speaking at a press conference in St. George’s prior to the Christmas holiday, Grimes expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of response from the Director of the Grenada Postal Corporation (GPC), Randall Robinson, and the line Minister, Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell, regarding a new collective agreement for the workers.

According to the union leader, these workers have not seen salary increases for over eight (8) years.

The GPWU, serving as the bargaining agent for the affected Postal Corporation workers, emphasised the preference for permanent employment but urged the corporation to “ensure pay increases to mitigate against inflation” if a contract scenario is chosen based on the results of the job evaluation.

Grimes highlighted the “abysmally low” salaries of GPC workers, averaging around “$1,200” a month.

He took issue with what he described as a “startling” and “intimidating” ultimatum given to workers during a meeting on December 27, where they were allegedly told to sign the 6-month contracts without increases or risk forfeiting their jobs.

“They stated to staff in an intimidating fashion that if they do not sign the 6-month contracts which have no increases, they in principle have forfeited their jobs,” Grimes told reporters.

However, in response, Director of Post, Randall Robinson clarified that “the GPC is not interested in sending any of its employees home.”

He explained that the contracts were extended for six months due to an ongoing job evaluation exercise expected to conclude “by February.”

However, he noted that “in the current contract that employees have, 1.3 says, any agreed extension must be made in writing and signed by the parties so we must put it in writing, and they must sign as accepting the extension, if they do not accept the extension according to law the contract terminates.”

Robinson acknowledged being in receipt of documents outlining the Union’s demands for its representation.

“We have perused the document that they have sent (and) we believe the only sticking point in terms of agreements may be salaries (and) we want a professional opinion,” he said.

“We have hired a professional to do the job evaluation exercise. We await that report…thereafter we will engage the Union in negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement,” he added.

Robinson anticipates that negotiations with the PWU for a new collective agreement will be “completed by June 30th,” giving assurances that “employees will be offered full time employment.”