NWC water safe despite strike action by some workers, says minister

 

Minister with responsibility for Water, Matthew Samuda, has confirmed that he is aware of an alleged strike action by maintenance workers attached to the National Water Commission.

 

Radio Jamaica News was informed that maintenance workers have withdrawn their services due to the non-payment of monies owed to them. 

 

Minister Samuda said any such action would be outside of any notification from the unions, which would be a breach of the legal process. But he acknowledged that there is reportedly some discomfort around the reclassification process.

 

Minister Samuda added that the labour bill at NWC was increased by more than $400 million monthly to facilitate the reclassification of employees. 

 

"I understand that this is a small group of employees who are particularly upset about the band that they have been placed in post-reclassification exercise. I would say to them that the process is ongoing, a process that was signed off on with the unions, with the Board of the Water Commission, with the Ministry of Finance after we received what's dubbed the McAnuff Report. 

 

"The McAnuff Report was a report I commissioned after the strike of 2022, where we said there was obviously industrial disharmony and we needed a roadmap to fixing same. We have gotten that roadmap, we've gotten all stakeholder to sign off and let's allow the process to work. The action being taken now is not in good order," he declared. 

 

Meanwhile, the minister has labelled as mischievous information that the reported strike by maintenance workers could affect water quality.

 

"I've heard rumours where persons were saying, well if the maintenance team is not working, what of the water quality? That's not the unit that deals with water production. There's actually a water production unit where there is no industrial disharmony. So I assure the public, as we have done in the past, National Water Commission water is indeed safe for drinking and we encourage you to enjoy your Water Commission water," said Mr. Samuda.