EMPLOYEES of Port Management Security Limited (PMSL) were in an upbeat mood Friday as they prepared to meet with The Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) on May 4 to discuss the future of their jobs.

The Jamaica Observer, in its lead story Friday, reported that the jobs of workers who carry out the searches of cargo at the nation’s ports and are responsible for detecting several guns and rounds of ammunitions hidden among goods are under threat.

“One of the union delegates shared with us that a message that came from the office of the CEO and president of PAJ Professor Gordon Shirley, and the human resource department at the office. I can’t even explain my feeling,” one of the excited employees said on Friday.

Said another employee: “We are ecstatic right now. We are really grateful because it looks like a little light is at the end of the tunnel. Now Jamaica sees who the real heroes are behind all the gun finds and the countless lives that have been saved. It is a good feeling to know our worth is being highlighted and our voices are being heard.”

Another employee was optimistic about the May 4 meeting.

“We have a three-point plan which we will have the union representative take to Professor Shirley so he knows exactly what we are about. It would be interesting to find out from the relevant ministries, like the Ministry of National Security and Transport, as to what knowledge they have of the situation.

“It appears to me that there was a plan to sweep things under the carpet. It would be interesting to know if the various ministers are aware of the happenings. They could put a different twist to it,” he said.

The Jamaica Observer again on Friday sought to reach Professor Shirley for a comment on the matter but he was said to be in a meeting.

Meanwhile, a source at PAJ who requested anonymity because he had no permission to speak with the media on the issue, said Friday that a claim by the PSML employees that no one has met with them to discuss the job redundancy was inaccurate.

The PMSL employees have proposed that: “All workers who have met academic requirements for the programme should be promptly accepted and provided with a clear timeline for their integration into Jamaica Customs [which will assume their roles]. For those who have not met the academic criteria but wish to pursue a career with the Jamaica Customs Agency, we propose offering a four-year contract or secondment from The Port Authority, with a mandatory commitment to complete their bachelor’s degree during that period.”

It continued: “Workers who decide to remain with the PAJ should be strategically placed within the organisation, based on their skill set to ensure their continued contribution.”

They also recommended that open communication be maintained with personnel who do not fall into the above categories to identify mutually beneficial solutions.

“Crucially, we request the establishment of a specific timeline for the implementation of these recommendations, ideally within the month of May. This time frame will help to alleviate anxiety and allow workers to make informed decisions about their futures,” the workers said.

The employees fear that if their jobs are made redundant and their duties are handed over to Jamaica Customs, the island could be in for trouble as they claim Customs does not have the experienced personnel to spot containers with guns and other contraband at the ports.

One member of the team pointed out that when the company, which is a subsidiary of PAJ, was formed, the only qualifications required were “loyalty, discipline, commitment, integrity, honesty, and a dedication to duty. That is why they hired ex-soldiers because at the time a lot of guns and ammunition were seeping into the country”.