Pressure continued to mount at the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) yesterday, after the Public Services’ Association (PSA) called for the removal of acting human resource director Bunny Rambhajan amid a wage negotiation impasse.
The dispute escalated after talks between the union and WASA management, which began at 11.30 am on Thursday, broke down around midnight. Workers remained at the authority’s compound into yesterday, after Rambhajan and her team left the negotiations and did not return.
PSA president Felisha Thomas said workers were frustrated over the failure to advance wage proposals submitted in January, including provisions linked to the Government’s promised 10 per cent salary increase.
The union subsequently blocked the entrance to WASA’s St Joseph head office, with members chanting for Rambhajan’s removal.
“The workers are frustrated. They are fed up. Every other organisation, their proposals have been submitted and advanced to the various ministries, with the exception of WASA. The management, and let me specifically say the director of HR, has failed the workers of WASA. And now we are calling for her removal,” Thomas said.
Thomas accused Rambhajan and management of failing to advance the proposals to WASA’s human resource committee. She said the union also sought answers on the financial implications of settling the negotiations, including outstanding arrears and the impact of the proposed salary increases on the utility’s recurrent expenditure.
Thomas said she could not explain why management walked out of the negotiations but believed officials were unable to answer questions raised by the union.
The PSA is demanding that the proposals be immediately submitted to the Ministry of Public Utilities so the negotiations can be concluded.
Thomas said WASA’s board had remained silent on the impasse, although the authority’s chief executive officer Dain Maharaj had contacted the union in an attempt to resolve the dispute.
She again warned that workers would not let up until the board intervened.
“It will not be work as usual in WASA until the board has addressed the situation that is taking place here. They are not being paid a stipend to be on our board for fun. This is serious work, and they need to come and deal with the issue. WASA is in a crisis, they need to come and treat with the crisis. It will not get better, it will only get worse,” she said.
Thomas said delays in settling the WASA negotiations could also affect whether the costs are reflected in Government’s budgetary provisions.
Responding to news about the impasse, Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath said he had requested information from WASA.
“I have requested a report from WASA with respect to the status of the wage negotiations, as well as the concerns that have been raised by the president of the PSA. We continue to have open frank dialogue with the union in good faith, and therefore much more will be said at the appropriate time,” Padarath said.
Padarath did not indicate whether action would be taken against Rambhajan, or whether Government would intervene directly in the dispute.
Meanwhile, former public utilities minister Marvin Gonzales yesterday criticised both Government and the PSA over the stalemate. He said the negotiations should not have reached this stage if the Government intended to honour its election campaign promise.
“It is ludicrous, because what are you negotiating? There’s no need to negotiate because you promised 10%,” Gonzales said.
He argued that WASA’s board and management, having been appointed by the current United National Congress administration, should already have received instructions from the line minister to submit the necessary documentation to facilitate the increase.
Gonzales also criticised Thomas for directing her concerns at WASA’s management and board rather than the Government.
“Unfortunately, I don’t like to criticise union leaders, but in this case, I am forced to do it, because I noted she is not taking issue with the Government on it. She’s taking issue with the management and the board of WASA. But who placed the management and the board of WASA? Who put them in place?”
He said Government could remove the board and management if it disagreed with how the negotiations were being handled, arguing their continued tenure suggested they were acting in accordance with Government directive.
Gonzales also questioned Thomas’ independence as a union leader, pointing to her service on several boards appointed by Government.
He described her as “compromised” and questioned whether she could fairly represent WASA workers.
Gonzales further warned workers against what he described as political manipulation.
“You were misled by false promises in return for your votes. Do not allow them to mislead you and to use you again.”
Padarath and Gonzales later continued their verbal dispute via social media.
Guardian Media contacted WASA’s CEO and Thomas for an update on the negotiations, but neither responded up to press time.
