Dear Editor,
Contrary to what was reported in the print media and what was stated on national television by Mr Winston Brassington, the chairman of GPL, about the employees of the power company being awarded 9% across the board salary increases, no employee of GPL has received a 9% salary increase. Employees whose basic salaries are above the maximum of the scale were paid a 1.5% increase which will be added to their salaries as at January 2008. A further 3% which represents an across the board automatic increment was paid off scale.
All these which add up to 4.5% was paid retroactive from January 2007. Employees whose basic salaries fall within the salary range were paid an increase of 4.5% which will see their basic salary increased. Such increases was also retroactive from January 2007. A further 4.5% were paid as merit increment for the year 2007. What is strange though is that merit increments are paid based on the employee’s performances during the year under review. The percentage awarded to each employee would have been determined by the results of an assessment done on several areas of the employee’s performances which include attendance, commitment etc. This process has not been done as required but 4.5% across the board was paid nevertheless. It will be now left to be seen what will be GPL’s position if and when the assessment process would have been completed and based on the results some employees performances would have warranted more than 4.5% in other cases.
Finally these awards and/or increases were made by GPL even though negotiations with the respective unions that represent the workers were not completed. It is therefore clear as crystal that the management of GPL has adopted the method of the government and dealt with the employees in the same way as the public servants were dealt with, and that is having no regard whatsoever for collective bargaining. It is therefore time for the unions to take strong action.
Yours faithfully,
D. Carryl
