KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Matthew Samuda, has confirmed an unsanctioned disruption in the Maintenance Department at the National Water Commission (NWC) due to a post-reclassification exercise dispute.

Samuda, who has responsibility for water, said the disruption is caused by a small group of employees who are upset about the band that they have been placed in following the Government-led reclassification exercise.

“I am aware of disruption in the Maintenance Department at the National Water Commission, but I want to assure the public that this is not sanctioned industrial action. We’ve worked very hard over the last four years to bring industrial harmony to the National Water Commission. I’ve spoken with the heads of unions, I’ve gotten direct feedback as to what the issues are,” Samuda said on Monday.

“I would say to them (the employees) that the process is ongoing, a process that was signed off on with the unions, with the board of the (National) Water Commission, with the Ministry of Finance,” he continued, noting that the process followed a report commissioned by him after the last industrial action in 2022.

“We said there was obviously industrial disharmony and we needed a roadmap to fixing same. We have gotten that roadmap, we’ve gotten all stakeholders to sign off on. Let’s allow the process to work,” Samuda said.

The minister described the actions being taken by the disgruntled employees as “not in good order” and said it constitutes a breach of the employment agreement.

“We hope good sense will prevail in the shortest possible time, but I do want to address one area that I think the public needs to be aware of. The reclassification exercise, where not perfect, saw the wage bill at the (National) Water Commission increasing by over $400 million monthly, meaning we pay in excess of 10 per cent of total revenue as increases in staff costs to our hard-working men and women of the (National) Water Commission,” Samuda explained.

“So I don’t want the impression in the public to be that we are not working with our employees. In fact, we are working very hard to ensure that there is indeed industrial harmony. This is an unfortunate incident, and we encourage those involved to work through the process, as a process exists, a process is working and was agreed on by all stakeholders,” he said.

The minister further noted that the Maintenance Department at the NWC does not deal with water production and therefore has no impact on the quality of water as is being suggested by some individuals.

“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 (National) Water Commission water,” Samuda said.