By Robert A. Emmanuel
“Enough is enough” was the cry of more than a dozen workers at the government printery as they entered the fourth day of industrial action over poor working conditions.
Yesterday the protest, which started last Thursday, saw the staff sitting on the verandah outside the building as they refused to work under what they say are untenable conditions. They listed exposed electrical wires, a leaking roof, and raw sewage flowing close to their offices among their numerous complaints.
They said that their calls for a better working environment have been ignored by the authorities since 2018.
Observer media spoke to Anthony Antoine, the Shop Steward at the printery, who said despite promises of improvements from the Permanent Secretary, they would not be returning to their jobs until they see actual work being done to fulfil their demands.
“The staff has come together to say ‘enough is enough’. We need better, and we are as important as other ministries, so we need our problems solved,” he said.
He earlier stated that they had a meeting with their “Superintendent, so we are waiting on further news about what is going to happen … the last thing we spoke about [with our Superintendent] is wanting to do some assessment during the course of this week and next week”.
Antoine said the workers are split on the level of confidence they have in government’s pledges to carry out repairs, adding that staff will not be accepting any new printing jobs until their concerns are addressed.
On Thursday, the affected staff sent a letter to the Ministry of Legal Affairs saying they were being affected by chemical “odours” in the building which they claimed caused some of them to suffer palpitations, burning eyes, and shortness of breath.
Over the years, printery workers have taken industrial action on several occasions due to rat infestations.
Other government departments have suffered from similar actions over issues including inadequate running water and decrepit bathroom facilities.
Staff at the Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital, the Fiennes Institute, and the prison are among those who have staged protests in recent months.