Scores of immigration officers at the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) have reportedly called in sick and not reported for duty because they are unhappy with the management of the agency.

The workers are reportedly disgruntled over a number of issues including special allowances, the handling of interdiction processes and alleged general mistreatment meted out to them.

General Secretary of the National Workers Union, Granville Valentine, confirmed the industrial action.

“They have lost confidence in the management… the workers are so frustrated and demotivated, they believe they can’t find the energy to continue the work that they love so much,” Valentine told OBSERVER ONLINE.

The impact of the sick-out on the travelling services at the airports is not immediately clear.

Valentine said the Industrial Dispute Tribunal had ruled that special allowances – which amounts to some $48,000 – must be paid to immigration officers but some workers have not been receiving the benefit.

”We are talking about fairness, you can’t do that to people,” he said.

The NWU general secretary also said several employees have been suspended without “due process”.

“There was no interdiction hearing…. No opportunity to respond,” he said.

He also said the workers feel a general “level of disrespect” from the management towards them, alleging that staff are being treated like “dirt bags”.

Valentine called on the relevant authorities including the Minister oif National Security, Dr Horace Chang, to meet with him on Wednesday towards resolving the issue.

“Let’s reason around this and fix it…. We are seeing the action and the possible effect,” he said.