President of Public Service Association Watson Duke says that even with the prime minister’s call on for all public servants to return to work on Monday, some did not.
“Our prime minister has erred in judgement,” he said.
He said at some government offices the stay at home rotation system continued yesterday.
“The call was resisted by not weak public service managers but by strong public service managers who would have further engage in a domestic arrangement where some workers continue to work from home while they look after their children,” Duke said.
Duke said many had to choose between their children and their jobs.
“Some had to come to work as they faced a serious clash between their duty to their employer and their duty to their children,” the unionist said.
Duke told Guardian Media that he spoke with those public servants and told them to choose their children.
“I’ve said to them the greater duty is the responsivity towards their children as that law carries a criminal charge,” he continued.
On Sunday the PSA leader said the union was seeking to take action against the prime minister a process Duke said is ongoing, he called on public servants to speak up if they were being victimised for staying home to take care of their children.
“Our lawyers continue to look at this matter acidulously to see whether the Government can be injuncted from carrying out this wicked act against the working class,” he said.
“We stand ready and willing to act on behalf of our workers and we will defend them, “he continued.
Minister of Public Administration and Digital Transformation Allyson West was unavailable for a response.
One public servant who preferred not to be identified told Guardian Media, she’s now faced with an ultimatum.
“I literally have no one to take care of this child,” she said.
The single mother said the child’s father died earlier this year and her mother is stuck abroad. She said since schools closed because of COVID-19 she worked on a rotation, which allowed her to supervise her colleague’s children when she was off and vice versa. But with both of them now required at work she has no idea what her next step is. She said some of her colleagues are contemplating taking their sick days and vacation but questions what happens next.