Looks like we're in for some rough times as the NWC
(National Water Commission) Workers are restive. And I just had a rather successful
presentation at my CABM (Counseling and Behavioral Management) Class at MICO University College, then slept
well, only to awaken to this unfolding drama!
The NWC workers are on strike over their medical insurance
as reported in the article “NWC
Warns Strike Could Leave Customers Without Water, Urges Storage”, Published
Wednesday September 30, 2015, The Jamaica
Gleaner.
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Please note that this strike is affecting the four (4) trade
unions who represent one thousand two hundred (1200) Workers as reported in the
article “NWC
workers strike over health insurance coverage”, published Wednesday,
September 30, 2015, The Jamaica
Observer.
1. BITU
(The Bustamante Industrial Trade Union)
2. NWU
(National Workers Union)
3. JALGO
(Jamaica Association of Local Government Officers)
4. JUPOPE
(Jamaica Union of Public Officers and Public Employees)
5. Managers
Staff Association
This is a fairly serious strike if even the Managers are
also on strike, suggesting that we’re looking on a major water crisis in the
next few days! Thanks to this coming disruption in the NWC's service, you’ll
have to pay your bills at one of several alternative Bill payment locations as
listed below:
1. Alliance
Investment Management
2. Bill
Express Offices islandwide and www.billexpressonline.com
3. First
Caribbean International Bank online – www.cibc.com
4. Jamaica
Cooperative Credit Union League online – www.caribccu.coop
5. Jamaica
National Building Society branches islandwide and www.jnbs.com
6. National
Commercial Bank branches islandwide, Tele-Midas and www.jncb.com
7. Paymaster
Offices islandwide and www.paymaster-online.com
8. Prime
Trust Financial Corporation
9. Sagicor
Bank branches islandwide
10. Scotiabank’s
Telescotia and www.scotiabank.com.jm
11. Victoria
Mutual Building Society online – www.expressonline.vmbs.com
This is suggests that the affected workers working within
the NWC's Collection offices are the one protesting as well as workers who
monitor Regulator and pumps houses and even work at the main treatment plant.
So what's the strike about?
NWC workers on
strike - How increasing Health premiums means no Water for Kingstonians
This latest strike relates to the NWC increasing their
medical insurance premiums without the consent of their respective labour
unions. Worse, Benefits aren’t increasing and with salaries not moving, this
strike was inevitable.
So while the Ministry of Labour and the Unions representing
those NWC workers worry about their health, we'll have to content with possible
water lock-off in the next few days.
To avoid the meltdown as happened the last time as reported
in my blog
article entitled “Water
Shortage at MICO - How I'm dealing with the Water Shortage in Kingston”,
I've already begun to fill up containers with water.
I've also started carrying my own personal supply of the
precious liquid with me to MICO University
College. It's helping to save on purchasing Bag Juice and Soda, an
unnecessary expense and reduces dehydration as I'd explained in my blog article
entitled “How
to find work in Jamaica at Call Centers - Drink Bottled Water as Dehydration
and Salty Foods makes you lose concentration”.
An emergency meeting has been called at the Labour Ministry
to attempt to resolve the dispute and in the meantime, the NWC says it
continues to do everything to restore normality in the shortest possible time.
Hopefully too, they’ll finish fixing that pipe that burs
inside of Swallowfield as I'd reported in my blog article
entitled “Water
Wastage at MICO - How Waste Water Recycling and Rainwater Harvesting benefits
Agriculture” before this goes islandwide.
Folks, excuse me while I fill my Buckets as I fear the worst
is yet to come. The NWC Workers and Manager combined seem to have the upper
hand.... over the Government of Jamaica and more specifically the Ministry of
Water and Climate Change!
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