Sanitation Service Authority workers are to receive a long-awaited pay increase under an updated performance incentive plan, marking a turnaround after months of discontent over what employees had called unfair payments, Barbados TODAY can reveal exclusively.
Richard Greene, general secretary of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), told Barbados TODAY on Tuesday that the money, which is retroactive to the July to September quarter, is to be paid as soon as all the relevant information is received and assessed.
In July, garbage collectors staged a wildcat strike in protest at the amounts paid under the scheme and other working conditions.
The performance allowance was paid even though targets were not met.
With performance at 34 per cent, management still approved discretionary payments, which workers deemed unsatisfactory, resulting in a stoppage that left refuse collection vehicles parked and triggered widespread anxiety over a possible disruption to islandwide services.
But Greene revealed that the SSA management has now agreed to raise workers’ pay, a move welcomed by the NUPW.
He said: “The NUPW recently received correspondence from the Sanitation Service Authority, indicating that the Performance Incentive Plan markers and the measures for the performance incentive plan have shown an improvement … an increase over the second quarter of the incentive plan; and is proposing an increase in payment for the second quarter over the first quarter.
“The matter is under review by the committee of management of the union’s Sanitation Services Authority division. But the union is happy to report that there has been an improvement in the performance of the workers, and we look forward to continuing the effort, and the education and information-sharing around the performance incentive plan.”
While declining to supply figures for the level of the pay increase, Greene did point out that “there was a noted increase”.
“The next payment will be for the following quarter. But remember, it is paid retroactively to the completed quarter. So, the payment now is at this point outstanding, but the SSA has promised to complete the payment in accordance with the incentive pay plan. So, we are looking forward to the payment very soon of the incentive pay for July, August, [and] September.”
He added: “We are happy to see a marked increase in tipping. So, workers are becoming more aware of the incentive plan, and are working to support the incentive plan.”
During the July industrial action, some workers said they received incentive payments of $700, others $400, and some only $100.
SSA spokesman Carl Padmore later confirmed in a statement that the industrial action, initiated by a group of employees and described as a wildcat strike, was in response to the recent disbursement of the performance incentive allowance.
“The workers have expressed dissatisfaction with the amount paid under the allowance scheme,” he said.
Padmore explained that the performance incentive allowance “was introduced as a motivational measure and is contingent upon the achievement of clearly defined operational targets — specifically, tipping targets agreed upon by management, staff and worker representatives”.
He added: “Unfortunately, these targets were not met, with performance reaching only 34 per cent of the established benchmark. Despite this shortfall, and as a gesture of good faith aimed at promoting continued improvement in productivity and morale, management approved discretionary payment.”
Workers also voiced dissatisfaction with the provision of personal protective equipment and back pay issues.
emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb
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