Trade unionists shocked by 'hickey' memo for parliamentary staff

 

More trade union leaders are expressing shock over an internal memo sent to parliamentary staff by Clerk of the Houses, Colleen Rowe, warning that employees showing up to work with visible marks on their skin, colloquially referred to as 'hickeys', would face immediate disciplinary action. 

 

The notice by the Clerk stated that, effective April 28, any employee displaying such marks would be sent home and have the day deducted from their leave entitlement.

 

She cited paragraph 4.2.2 of the Public Sector Staff Orders, which mandates professional dress and appearance, emphasizing that Parliament must uphold the highest standards of professionalism and decorum. 

 

Veteran public sector union leader Helene Davis Whyte has dismissed the memo as ridiculous, arguing that it relies on assumption about the nature of the skin marks. 

 

And in an interview with Radio Jamaica News on Wednesday, General Secretary of the Union of Clerical, Administrative and Supervisory Employees (UCASE), John Levy, said he is baffled by the controversial memo.

 

"I am of the view that it's a little bit of an overreach and quite frankly, in matters of this nature, the proper approach would be to have a conversation. Good industrial relations determine that they have a conversation. This route of penalising people, it's not called for at this time and it's not for something that in my view stems from any indiscipline on the part of an employee, and it is not any form of indecent exposure either. So I don't subscribe to this kind of approach," he said, reiterating that: "Good industrial relations practice says that you must have a conversation and you discuss what are the matters, if any, and you find a solution around the table."

 

In an interview with the Gleaner, noted attorney Gavin Goffe dismissed the assertion that a hickey was a breach of the dress code in the public sector and questioned how the clerk would verify if a mark was a hickey versus eczema or a mosquito bite. 

 

Mr. Goffe warned against overreach without evidence.