Workers from Technical Services outside the gates of the department on Wednesday. (Robert Luckock photo)
MARIGOT--A “go-slow” movement was initiated at the Collectivité’s Technical Services Department (Service Techniques) on Tuesday over working conditions and degraded infrastructure.
The union spokesman for Uni.T 978 on behalf of the department, Albert Blake, indicated Wednesday Technical Services has been trying for 10 years to get the Collectivité to upgrade conditions at the department. Technical Services is responsible for the maintenance at all of the Collectivité’s services to ensure smooth operation, and at the schools.
“Since Hurricane Irma the infrastructure at the department has been blown away basically, and since then nothing has been done,” Blake said. “In September 2022 a water fountain was installed for the department but that was it.
“There’s a lack of vehicles to go to work and lack of materials and tools. The hardware stores are sending us back because the Collectivité has not paid the bills. The hardware stores see us in a poor light but the Collectivité is responsible. Some of these bills amount to thousands of euros.”
Blake claimed the Collectivité has money to spend to satisfy less important interests but workers are being ignored. He could not say for certain that the strike action was the cause of Les Mardis de Grand Case being cancelled, but thought it likely as trucks were blocked from exiting Technical Services.
“From Tuesday, we decided the buck stops here and we will not got to work anymore until we are given the proper working conditions, and we don’t have the tools to work with anyway. Right now we are only allowing emergency vehicles in and out to get gas, and also we have made an exception for Caisse Territorial des Oeuvres Scolaire (CTOS) vans so as not to sabotage school lunches.
Blake added someone from Human Resources visited to understand the grievances. “We handed this lady a document that we submitted to the Collectivité a month ago and she says she never received it. We have an issue with that. How can a letter addressed to the President not be received? Are they trying to fool us?”
The union says it will maintain its movement every day until there are significant changes.
