WHAT could be interpreted as an understanding, or a misunderstanding, arising from the settlement of the current four-year contract between the Government and National Water Commission (NWC) unionised workers has led to a day-old strike at its Kingston office.

The NWC said in a release shortly after the strike started at its Marescaux Road plant that the office was closed due to the protest. The commission advised that all other commercial offices were open and advised customers to use their services.

The NWC said that it would notify the media and the public about any further development. However, up to 6:00 pm when the Jamaica Observer contacted the Marescaux Road office for an update, the Corporate Public Relations Department said there was nothing further to report.

In the meantime, the unionised staff, including hourly paid and supervisory staff and their union leaders, had moved to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security where Minister Shahine Robinson had invited them to a conciliatory meeting in an effort to resolve the dispute. The meeting was still in progress up to Observer press time last night.

There was no sign of picketing at the gate of the NWC office yesterday, although chairs and other pieces of office equipment were left blocking the entrance. These were eventually removed.

The strike was triggered by a claim by unions representing the workers that the management was failing to make a serious response to their demand for a $160,000 one-off payment, arising from the settlement of the 2017 negotiations between the unions and the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service. The unions figure’ is four times the offer of $40,000 made by the commission.

Spokesmen for the unions — which include the National Workers Union, Bustamante Industrial Trade Union, and Jamaica Association of Local Government Officers — told the Observer that the issue evolved from an understanding made during the 2017 settlement that Government agencies could still make an offer of a one-off payment to employees they feel were deserving.

However, a spokesperson for the ministry insisted yesterday that there was no such agreement, and that any support that was given for a top-up was considered on the basis of a much lesser payment to the workers than $160,000.

“It was never conceived that the agency would have to pay as much as $160,000 to the staff complement of over 2,000 workers, and one which is already losing money,” the ministry source said.

The NWC employs just over 2,000 workers and had projected a net deficit of $1.9 billion for the 2018/19 fiscal year.

The management of the NWC was not available for comment, however, the Observer confirmed with trade union representatives that NWC had made an offer of $40,000 per worker, which was rejected by them.

As the ministry continued its conciliatory efforts last night, there was no indication of a settlement, so the likelihood that the strike could continue today and the fear that it could extend and affect water supplies in the Corporate Area still lingered.

Public sector workers signed a four-year agreement with the ministry in September 2017 for increases in salary and salary-related allowances of: five per cent in year one; two per cent in year two; four per cent in year three; and five per cent in year four.