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Coleen Kelly, National Solid Waste Management Authority Route Supervisor in St. James and Audley Gordon, Executive Director of the NSWMA
Scores of placard bearing street sweepers in Montego Bay, St. James have gathered in Sam Sharpe Square to protest against the impending cut in their work hours.
The workers, who are employed to Western Parks and Markets say their hours will be cut from 80 hours to 40 hours per week effective June 1.
Coleen Kelly, National Solid Waste Management Authority Route Supervisor in St. James, told Radio Jamaica News that street sweepers currently earn $12,000 per fortnight.
Ms Kelly said the employees agreed to a cut in overtime benefits in February, but cannot accept the reduction in their work hours.
She pointed out that this cut in hours would result in the workers earning only $6,000 per fortnight and that this "cannot even go to the supermarket."
"We should be having increase, not decrease," she asserted.
The street sweepers are appealing for the intervention of Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie.
Audley Gordon, Executive Director of the National Solid Waste Management Authority, told Radio Jamaica News that the reduction in the street sweepers earnings is part of spending cuts "across the board" at the state-run entity.
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