Beware of criminals posing as utility workers

Saturday, October 18, 2014 | 9:06 PM    

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Police are warning members of the public to beware of individuals posing as National Water Commission (NWC) and Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) workers.

The warning follows reports received by the police that men are posing as workers employed to utility companies, in particular, the NWC.

According to the police, the men visit the homes of occupants and inform them that they have come to read meters or to install shower caps to reduce waste. Additionally, they pose as contractors of the JPS and inform occupants that they are there to replace high-energy consumption bulbs for free.

Once they gain entry to homes, they commit robberies, the police say. The men are believed to be operating especially in the Kingston 6 and 8 areas.

The police are advising members of the public to check the identification cards of those purporting to be employed to utility companies before allowing them access to their premises.

Furthermore, residents are being urged to contact the police immediately at 311, 811, Police 119 emergency or the nearest Police station when in doubt as to the identity or legitimacy of the individuals they may encounter while at home.

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Beware of criminals posing as utility workers

"PRESSURE TACTICS" Unions publish "scab lists" of nonunion workers

The Kansas chapter of the United Auto Workers union is using its website to draw attention to GM workers who choose not to pay union dues.

UAW Local 31 dedicates an entire page of its website to listing the names and work stations of employees who have opted to exercise their rights not to be in the union. UAW Local 31 lists nearly 30 workers at the Fairfax, Kansas GM plant who are not in the union. The “Scab List” is published under the union website’s “Important Information” section.

Local 31 president Vicki Hale did not respond to request for comment.

Glenn Taubmann, a lawyer at the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, said that scab lists are used to pressure workers into joining the union. The use of their personal information and where they can be found in the plant make them easy targets for harassment and intimidation.

“It comes as no surprise that unions in right to work states engage in all sorts of harassment and pressure tactics against independent-minded workers,” he said. “The ugly truth is that once UAW bosses get into power, they will not tolerate any worker who refused to ‘voluntarily’ join and pay dues. Their view of “voluntary” unionism is an iron fist against anyone who dissents.”

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"PRESSURE TACTICS" Unions publish "scab lists" of nonunion workers

Two gay sex workers murdered in Guyana

File photo (Credit: caribbean360 / bigstock)

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Sunday, July 20, 2014, CMC -

The suspect in the murder of two homosexual sex workers early Sunday morning, committed suicide hours later in the day by setting himself afire.

Samuel Bristol, 31, doused himself with gasoline and set his body on fire outside the Bourda Post Office in Georgetown.

Before succumbing at the Georgetown Hospital, Bristol, confessed to the murders and said he had nothing to live for.

The two homosexual sex workers were stabbed to death on the streets of Georgetown in the early hours of Sunday, allegedly by Bristol, the spurned lover of another.

The body of Jason John was found in Leopold Street and that of Carl Sinclair was found just over a block away in Lombard Street. Both were lying in pools of blood.

Bristol, the ex-lover of five years with a colleague of the gay men, all commercial sex workers, had reportedly earlier thrown gasoline on his former partner and attempted to set him alight in the vicinity of Georgetown’s landmark St George’s Cathedral.

But, eyewitnesses say, that other sex workers intervened and halted Bristol in the act, and he fled.

Bristol reportedly later attacked John and Sinclair with a knife in Leopard Street, where John died. Though wounded, Sinclair fled but the man caught up with him in Lombard Street an dealt the sex worker several more stabs, killing him at that location.

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Two gay sex workers murdered in Guyana

Barbados port authority to lay off 100 workers – Opposition MP

Last September, Barbados began a 19-month fiscal adjustment programme to reduce operating costs, and one plank of that strategy has been a reduction in Government payroll. (Credit: Carbbean360/Bigstock)

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Monday June 30, 2014, CMC- As government struggles to cut cost through financial structural adjustment programme, an Opposition Member of Parliament has revealed that another 100-plus workers may be added to a list of public workers being sent home.

“On the 16th of April, the Chief Executive Officer of the [state-owned] Port Authority wrote to [Barbados Workers Union General Secretary] Sir Roy Trotman, giving him notice that the Port Authority plans to lay off 100-odd out of the 392 workers, 25 per cent of the Port workers are propositioned to lose their jobs,” MP Edmund Hinckson revealed Saturday.

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The Barbados Labour Party politician’s statement comes against a backdrop of the Finance Minister, Chris Sinckler, announcing in December that government will lay off some 3,000 public workers, beginning January as part of a programme aimed at reducing current costs.

There are no official figures on the total number of workers the administration has sent home to date, but the figure is believed to be in excess of 2,000. Following a consultation visit, the IMF – on whose advice it is suspected government is cutting staff – announced in February that 1,800 were so far severed. Since then a number of state entities have announced job cuts, many of which are being disputed by labour unions.

Hinckson said, “Under the Employment Rights Act, notice was given to the main union of the workers of the port. And they were to enter negotiations on how best this [retrenchment] could be done.”

Last September, Barbados began a 19-month fiscal adjustment programme to reduce operating costs, and one plank of that strategy has been a reduction in Government payroll.

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Barbados port authority to lay off 100 workers – Opposition MP

Public sector workers in St. Lucia asked to take pay cut

Prime Minister Kenny Anthony of St Lucia has told public sector unions in that country that their members should take a 5% wage cut and a wage freeze after, among a series of measures, to aid the debt-wracked economy; otherwise, he’s warned, retrenchment will follow.  Mr. Anthony told his countrymen that despite the significant cuts proposed in this year’s budget, the government was still facing a financing gap of  205 million EC dollars.  
He said the Ministry of  Finance had supplied three options to close the gap, combining cuts in wages and retrenchment of 495 to 990 public servants.      
He asserted that his government was against retrenchment and therefore had made the proposal to public sector unions.  

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Public sector workers in St. Lucia asked to take pay cut

Shaggy says staff at Bustamante Children"s Hospital are "miracle workers"

Latest News

Tuesday, December 31, 2013 | 2:46 PM

ST ANDREW, Jamaica — From having to use warm water to thaw frozen blood for use in operations, to eventually being able to purchase blood warmers, the Bustamante Hospital for children in St Andrew has been saving lives through mere resourcefulness.And Shaggy, the man behind the Shaggy Make a Difference Foundation that has been raising funds to assist the hospital through a charity concert since 2009, has lauded the medical practitioners there, labelling them “miracle workers”.“I am working with a really good group of professional doctors and nurses at the hospital,” said Shaggy. “Now they are not the most well-equipped, and they are not the most heavily staffed, but these people are miracle workers.”Shaggy was speaking at the Jamaica Observer’s Monday Exchange at the newspaper’s headquarters on Beechwood Avenue in St Andrew.The international recording artiste reflected on a visit to the health facility when he noticed them placing frozen blood in a pot of hot water to get it to the appropriate temperature for operation.“These are the things that they do, that are unconventional, but save lives,” Shaggy said.Dr Lambert Ennis, head of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care at the hospital, reiterated the resourcefulness of the doctors at the institution, saying the team at the institution are some of the best in the world.–Anika RichardsLike our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jamaicaobserverFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamaicaObserver

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Shaggy says staff at Bustamante Children"s Hospital are "miracle workers"

Shaggy says staff at Bustamante Children"s Hospital are "miracle workers"

News

Tuesday, December 31, 2013 | 2:46 PM

ST ANDREW, Jamaica — From having to use warm water to thaw frozen blood for use in operations, to eventually being able to purchase blood warmers, the Bustamante Hospital for children in St Andrew has been saving lives through mere resourcefulness.And Shaggy, the man behind the Shaggy Make a Difference Foundation that has been raising funds to assist the hospital through a charity concert since 2009, has lauded the medical practitioners there, labelling them “miracle workers”.“I am working with a really good group of professional doctors and nurses at the hospital,” said Shaggy. “Now they are not the most well-equipped, and they are not the most heavily staffed, but these people are miracle workers.”Shaggy was speaking at the Jamaica Observer’s Monday Exchange at the newspaper’s headquarters on Beechwood Avenue in St Andrew.The international recording artiste reflected on a visit to the health facility when he noticed them placing frozen blood in a pot of hot water to get it to the appropriate temperature for operation.“These are the things that they do, that are unconventional, but save lives,” Shaggy said.Dr Lambert Ennis, head of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care at the hospital, reiterated the resourcefulness of the doctors at the institution, saying the team at the institution are some of the best in the world.–Anika Richards

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Shaggy says staff at Bustamante Children"s Hospital are "miracle workers"

Holness: Gov"t must pay attention to Chinese workers issue

OPPOSITION Leader Andrew Holness says the Portia Simpson Miller-led Government is under an illusion as far as the issues concerning the employment of Chinese nationals on major investment projects in Jamaica are concerned.

“The Jamaicans are industrious people and I believe on projects being executed by the Chinese, there are Chinese labourers working, doing jobs that could very well be done by Jamaicans. That is an issue I am disappointed that you have brushed aside. It is an issue your Government needs to pay special attention to, you are under an illusion,” Holness said Tuesday yesterday after he raised the issue with the prime minister in Parliament.The Opposition leader prefaced his question off concerns, the most recent of which were raised by the Joint Industrial Council (JIC) of the building and construction industry. On Friday JIC blasted the Government for what it said were “egregious and misleading” statements in the media concerning the presence of Chinese workers on construction sites in the island.The council claimed that it had still photographs and videos showing Chinese workers doing common labourers’ work “while many skilled and unskilled (Jamaican) workers are unemployed.”But the prime minister, the latest Government member to comment on the matter, disputed those claims.“There is no large number of Chinese workers in the country. Let us be very careful the Chinese are very disciplined people and if they get something to do they are going to do it. I do not see anywhere in Jamaica a large quantity of Chinese traversing the streets or communities across the country,” she said,She further discounted comments by Opposition Spokesperson on Labour Pearnel Charles that her Administration, in another life, had negotiated a concession of a 40 per cent employment for Chinese labour on major projects.“They came to me and they asked for that to continue, I advised them that it was not in their interest, neither security nor otherwise. I would allow 100 per cent Chinese on any project where there is no Jamaicans available. Did your Government negotiate a percentage of Chinese labour on all major Chinese projects?” Charles asked.“If that exists, it was not negotiated under my Administration. No one would be able to get me to sign all work over to any category or class of persons and you know this and you are touching my heart in a bad way,” Simpson Miller said.“If we continue to have discussions this way, the question I want to ask is, is whether we want to say to the Chinese, do not invest in Jamaica. It would be dangerous for any Government not to protect the interest no matter what investment, of the Jamaican people,” she added.Last week, Labour Minister Derrick Kellier said for the period April 2012 to July 2013, a total 4,098 work permits were issued. He told members of the press that of this number, 1,741 — or 43 per cent — were given to Chinese nationals. He further admitted that for a number of these investments such as the ones the Chinese have made in Jamaica, there are conditionalities and employment ratios that are predetermined.(L-R) SIMPSON MILLER… there is no large number of Chinese workers in the country. HOLNESS… Government needs to pay special attention to the issue

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Holness: Gov"t must pay attention to Chinese workers issue

Alma telescope workers go on strike

22 August 2013 Last updated at 20:47 ET Alma is situated more than 5,000 metres above sea level Workers at the world’s biggest radio telescope in Chile have gone on strike to demand a pay rise.

They are also demanding benefits to compensate for the high altitude and isolation they endure.

The Alma (Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array) observatory is more than 5,000 metres above sea level in the Atacama desert in northern Chile.

Alma said it would be able to continue basic operations.

The union’s president, Victor Gonzalez, said nearly 200 workers at the Alma observatory had gone on strike to demand a 15% pay rise after failing to reach agreement with Associated Universities Inc (AUI), their US employers.

The workers endure difficult living conditions and are exposed to strong winds, thin air and severe temperature drops.

Alma regretted not reaching an agreement with the union, but said the strike would not halt its operations completely.

“Alma has activated a contingency plan that will enable it to continue basic operations,” the observatory said.

The 194 striking workers are technicians and administrators and do not include scientists.

Alma’s antennas are in a remote part of the Atacama desert 5,200 metres above sea level.

The dryness and low interference from other radio signals create some of the best conditions for observing the night sky.

The observatory is funded by the European Union, the United States, Canada, Taiwan and Japan.

Its 66 huge antennae are trained on the centre of our galaxy.

It is expected to provide new information that may help explain the origins of the universe.

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Alma telescope workers go on strike

3 of 7 injured KFC workers released from hospital

News

Friday, August 23, 2013

THREE of the seven KFC Old Harbour workers who were admitted to the Andrew’s Memorial Hospital following a fire on Wednesday are out of hospital.Restaurants of Jamaica, operator of the KFC franchise, said the three were released Wednesday night.“… Based on a report from the attending physicians at Andrew’s Memorial, the remaining four team members have been admitted for the standard 48-hour observation period for burn injuries and, hopefully, should be discharged tomorrow (today),” the company said in a statement yesterday.It said, however, that one of those four workers, who has burns to his forearm, may require further observation.“They were visited last night (Wednesday) by Mark Myers, managing director of Restaurants of Jamaica… and other members of the management team, to ensure they were comfortable and receiving the best possible care.“We wish to thank the KFC team members, the fire department, the police, and members of the Old Harbour community, including the local medical doctor on call to KFC, for their quick response and for their assistance in this unfortunate situation. We are also very thankful that no one was critically injured,” Myers said.In the meantime, the company said while investigations into the incident are being carried out, the KFC team would be doing an assessment to try and get the restaurant back in operation by today.The fire at the KFC restaurant started about 3:00 pm Wednesday, following an explosion in a kitchen at the back of the premises.The cause of the fire, however, has not been ascertained. Workers and members of the public stand outside the KFC Old Harbour restaurant following Wednesday’s fire. (PHOTO: GARFIELD ROBINSON)

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3 of 7 injured KFC workers released from hospital

Social workers voice grooming fears

26 July 2013 Last updated at 20:52 ET The technology used by young people has left some social workers behind Many social workers lack confidence and know-how when it comes to dealing with online grooming and sexual abuse of children, a survey has suggested.

The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) said they desperately needed specialist training.

An online survey of 327 social workers found 74% wanted more support, while half felt concerned about dealing with online sexual abuse or behaviour.

One said social workers were “way out” of their depth.

Warning signs

Almost three in four of those surveyed said they needed more support with child protection cases which involved “an aspect of online and complex sexual abuse”.

The survey also found:

17% did not know how to “assess the risks” to a child when there was an “online dimension”, such as internet grooming, to the case20% said they did not know the “warning signs” of what online sexual abuse looks like43% lacked confidence about the language used by young people talking about the internet, and more than a third said they did not know the right questions to ask in order to identify and assess online abuse

“The number of cases in which the internet plays a part in the grooming and abuse of children is rising,” said the BASW’s Nushra Mansuri.

“Social workers need to be equipped to recognise the warning signs.”

Janet Foulds, former chair of BASW: “We do need to equip social workers with the latest knowledge on how offenders are targeting and grooming children”

One of the social workers, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: “I have worked with a young girl who experienced horrendous sexual and violent threats via her mobile phone… and it was very difficult to know how best to proceed.”

Another said: “We are way out of our depth and training measures are needed without delay.”

The NSPCC charity said it had developed an online training guide for child protection professionals – backed by the BASW – to educate them about the risks the internet posed to children.

Chief executive Peter Wanless said paedophiles were using chatrooms and social networks to groom victims, adding that young people were being “coerced into sharing explicit images of themselves via mobile phone messages and apps”.

“It’s worrying that the majority of social workers surveyed by BASW are struggling to understand how online child abuse happens,” he added.

“We know they are doing a tough job under pressure and shouldn’t need to be technology experts but they do need to have a grasp of the basics.”

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Social workers voice grooming fears

VIDEO: Digicel dials in on public service workers for LCPL

BUY one, you get one free. That’s the ticket offer Digicel has given to all public service workers in a partnership with the Government to watch the inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League T20 tournament for the Jamaica leg.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed yesterday between Digicel’s CEO Barry O’Brien and Horace Dalley, minister with responsibility for the public service.Natalie Neita-Headley, minister with responsibility for sports, was also in attendance to witness the occasion along with heads of the various trade unions at the state-of-the-art Digicel headquarters in downtown Kingston.Ticket prices are $500 for adults and $300 for children to be purchased at Digicel stores only, and O’Brien noted that this will give the civil servants a chance to bring their friends and family to what is expected to be a real carnival atmosphere at Sabina Park when the Jamaica Tallawahs are in action.“This is exciting times ahead and in Digicel we have a long history in cricket and this is a further extension of our commitment to cricket in Jamaica,” O’Brien emphasised.O’Brien believes this tournament can possibly surpass that of the much-watched Indian Premier League (IPL) which attracts all the global cricket stars.“We were saying to ourselves: Couldn’t the Caribbean replicate something similar to this because we have the advantage over India? We have a lot of different nations with a lot of cultural diversity to build a great tournament in different places,” he added.“Part of this success will be in this partnership we have here and getting the people into the grounds. We wanted to ensure that we get that 12th man in the grounds, we want to ensure that we fill the grounds and there are a lot of cricket lovers in the civil service,” said O’Brien.Meanwhile, Dalley praised the public sector workers for their tolerance with the government, having had a wage freeze for three years in an effort to reduce the national debt.He also had good words for Digicel’s initiative in giving back to the public service workers and implored them to take up the offer and enjoy themselves.“This is a very good gesture. With this offer we gladly accept it. We appreciate it and we want to commend you on this step. This what you are offering is very important,” said Dalley.He continued: “On behalf of the Government of Jamaica, I applaud you for stepping up to the plate.”Neita-Headley noted that for the last couple of years the Caribbean has been bracing itself for the onslaught of regional professional and semi-professional sports.She said money was always an issue in getting the fans out to support the teams and it was gratifying to see Digicel’s initiative to the government workers.“There was never going to be any doubt that we as a Government would support the plan and encourage our workforce to avail themselves of the opportunity that this presents,” said Neita-Headley.Jamaica Tallawahs will be captained by Chris Gayle and will play Guyana on Thursday, August 15; Barbados on Saturday, August 17, and on Sunday, August 18 they take on Trinidad and Tobago at Sabina Park.Digicel’s CEO Barry O’Brien (right) signs the Memorandum of Understanding with the assistance of Horace Dalley (left), minister with responsibility for the Public Service, and Shelly-Ann Harris (second right standing), Digicel’s senior communications manager. Sharing in the moment are Natalie Neita-Headley (centre), minister with responsibility for sports, and Robert Chung, vice-president, Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions. (PHOTO: COLLIN REID)

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VIDEO: Digicel dials in on public service workers for LCPL

Sugar workers demonstrate

Latest News

Tuesday, July 23, 2013 | 4:36 PM

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Labour and Social Security has scheduled an emergency conciliation meeting for Thursday at 10:00 am, in an effort to resolve the impasse between Pan Caribbean Sugar Company and the unions representing workers at the Monymusk, Bernard Lodge and Frome sugar factories.The workers have been on strike since Tuesday morning  over the sending on leave of 132 security guards, and the contracting of a private security by Pan Caribbean/Complant, the Chinese firm which bought the three factories in 2011.The Unions are the National Workers’ Union (NWU); the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) and the University and Allied Workers Union (UAWU).According to BITU deputy island supervisor, Harold Brown, the demonstrations will not affect production, as the 2013/14 sugar production has not yet started, but that the workers are determined to show their to the sending of the workers, following the redundancy of some 200 workers since last year.Like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jamaicaobserverFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamaicaObserver

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Sugar workers demonstrate

Labour Ministry intervenes in sugar workers impasse

News

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

THE Ministry of Labour and Social Security has set an emergency conciliation meeting for tomorrow at 10:00 am, in an effort to resolve an impasse between Pan Caribbean Sugar Company and the unions representing workers at the Monymusk, Bernard Lodge and Frome sugar factories.The workers have been demonstrating since Monday against the sending on leave of 132 security guards, and the contracting of a private security firm, Quest, by Pan- Caribbean/Complant, the Chinese firm which bought the three factories in 2011.The unions involved are the National Workers’ Union, the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) and the University and Allied Workers Union.Yesterday, the BITU’s deputy island supervisor in charge of the sugar sector, Harold Brown, told the Jamaica Observer that the workers are determined to show their objection to the sending off of the workers, following the redundancy of some 200 workers since last year.He said that 90 workers were made redundant recently, including 30 security guards, and on Monday another 132 security guards were sent on “discretionary leave”, which the management says is part of the restructuring of the operations.He said that the trade unions met with the management of Pan Caribbean on Monday and insisted that the company reinstate the workers. However, the talks broke down after the management turned down their request. He explained that after the talks broke down, the protest spread from Bernard Lodge, St Catherine, to Monymusk, Clarendon, and Frome, Westmoreland, yesterday.COMPLANT International took control of the three former government-owned sugar factories in August 2011, after investing more than US$8 million ($680 million) in the production of sugar cane since the start of the year.The three sugar factories and the lands immediately surrounding them were sold to COMPLANT for US$9 million or more than $700 million in July last year. Under the deal, the company also secured some 30,000 hectares of cane lands through a 49-year lease agreement, which is renewable for another 25 years.

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Labour Ministry intervenes in sugar workers impasse