CBH Workers Strike over Outstanding Pay and Poor Working Conditions

Outstanding payments, poor working conditions, and lack of protective equipment, among other issues, triggered workers at the Central Board of Health (CBH) to embark on industrial action on Wednesday.

And these workers have vowed to continue their industrial action until their concerns are adequately addressed.

CBH Shop Stewart identified as Ms. Daniel says the workers are concerned about outstanding payments for overtime, incentive, and back pay dating back to 2018.

“We suppose to get a raise in January there, which I don’t know what happen, but we still waiting. So, we are asking for help now, so somebody can speak out to us to tell us what is happening, ” she told the media.

Daniel added that workers are also facing problems with regard to transportation and equipment noting that they need proper tools and gear including gloves.

Another grievance she highlighted is payment for workers tasked with cleaning the streets of St. John’s following carnival events.

“Another thing that they do, you see carnival coming up and the workers may refuse to go out, they threaten them. And then what they do is if they have any private workers that come out with them to work when the work finish, the private workers get their pay and they [CBH staff] still waiting to be paid”, Daniel said.

When asked whether they had received any word from Health Minister Sir Molwyn Joseph regarding the situation, one of the protesters responded “We nah know nobody, ah we nah exist. They just want their work done”.

The CBH workers echoed the sentiment that they needed their outstanding pay in full and would not accept it in part payments adding, “too much bluffing year in and year out”.

“It’s been too long in between and we need our money. We want our three years of money, not pieces. We want all, else nobody nah go work. So work ah go lock down yah, till them come gi ah we all ah we money”.