It was a bittersweet day yesterday for Drainage Unit workers as a little more than 100 of them were placed on a list to receive their monies while the others were forced to continue waiting.
The announcement came as workers were again peacefully protesting not receiving payment for April outside the division’s Pine, St Michael office along with National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) general secretary Dennis Clarke and senior industrial relations officer Wayne Walrond.
They had previously protested on Tuesday when it was decided they would return yesterday if they were not paid.
Director of the Drainage Unit Keith Barrow met with Clarke and Walrond several times before the announcement was made to the workers.
“This morning they have decided to pay the workers by cheque rather than lodgements in the bank,” Clarke told the media. “They said some of the workers’ cheques have not been prepared so they [the workers] will have to check [today], but one is hoping the majority of the workers here at the moment would be able to get their monies as it has been a very tough [time] for them because they have not been paid since [March].”
The list was read by Walrond and those workers whose names were called lined up outside the office to receive their pay once they had proper identification.
However, Clarke said the payments were only the tip of the iceberg.
