Meteorologists threaten to strike in JAMAICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Fego]

Meteorologists threaten to strike

HORACE HINES, Observer staff reporter
Thursday, September 09, 2004



AS the country prepares for Hurricane Ivan, meteorologists and meteorological technicians at both international airports and the Coopers Hill weather station have threatened to strike, sparking fears that the island may be left without vital information when the category four storm hits.

"The workers are determined to embark on a path of direct confrontation with the Ministry of Land and Environment and the management of the Met Office if outstanding allowances for the month of February for workers who took industrial action is not paid forthwith," said a release from general secretary of the Union of Technical, Administrative and Supervisory Personnel (UTASP) St Patrice Ennis.

"The union will not accept responsibility for any actions taken by the workers, particularly in light of the approaching hurricane Ivan," said Ennis. "In other words, we cannot guarantee normalcy at the Met Office for the ensuing days."

Yesterday, land and environment minister Dean Peart blasted the union and employees, saying they were trying to put pressure on him but he was unable to help.

He said he had referred the matter to the Ministry of Labour which had, in turn, sought advice from the Attorney General.

"They were hoping to get (the advice from the labour ministry) this week but they have not gotten it but they are going to try their best to see if they can get it by this weekend," he said. "I cannot act. I have to be advised by the Ministry of Labour."

The impasse has stemmed from three days of industrial action taken by some meteorologists in February as they pushed for wage parity with other government-paid scientific officers. The sick-out ran into the weekend.

According to one of the workers who refused to supply his name, some employees who had the weekend off were called in to work to fill the gap left by those who had taken industrial action. These workers refused to work on their rostered weekend off.

"Some said they had other plans and some claimed that they were sick," he said.

The Met Office management subsequently advised the workers who had refused to work to apply for sick leave, the employee maintained, and they were not paid allowances for those days.

Yesterday, Ennis also claimed that a chief UTASP delegate who was "relieved of his acting position as section head of the National Meteorological Centre" had been victimised.

But according to Minister Peart, the employee in question was merely acting at the Norman Manley International Airport and another worker was given the opportunity to fill the post when the vacancy recurred.

[shaner]

C'mon guys. Be professional. Lives are depending on you.