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NWU General Secretary Granville Valentine
In a bid to stave off industrial action by the island's immigration officers, National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang on Monday held high level talks with their union, the National Workers Union.
The immigration officers, employed to the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), went on sick-out last week to protest against what they describe as poor treatment by the leadership of the agency.
NWU General Secretary Granville Valentine told Radio Jamaica News that a number of issues affecting the immigration officers were discussed with the minister, chief of which is the complaint that "workers were interdicted unfairly [and] unjustly".
Mr. Valentine maintained that the punishment is "brutal", considering an interdicted worker's pay is cut during the investigative process, which sometimes lingers for "two years with no hearing".
"Persons are out there for long protracted periods without enjoying their full salary. Some of the workers are merely getting $5,000 per month after deductions," the union representative lamented.
Mr. Valentine said the issue of special allowance was also discussed.
While the workers are still restive, he said they are willing to work with what they have agreed with the minister but are looking forward to their issues being addressed in short order.
He warned that industrial action is still possible if their concerns are not addressed.
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