The Grenada Public Workersโ Union is disappointed with the lack of continuance and urgency by the authorities in addressing the many Occupational Safety and Health issues present at the Government Printery.
On Monday December 20, 2021, the workers at the Government Printery protested conditions that included but were not limited to a leaky roof, molds on walls, overwhelming chemical smell in the work area, dysfunctional air conditioning, damaged drop ceiling tiles and much more. The authorities responded with remedial work on the roof in the early part of January 2022 and โcompletedโ at the end of January. This work was done with the expressed and comprehensive understanding of all stakeholders involved, that the inner part of the infrastructure would be addressed purposefully as the air quality at the building is seriously compromised.
Toย date,ย asย weย enterย theย monthย ofย March,ย theย poorย andย dangerousย conditionsย inย theย innerย partย ofย the Printeryย remain unaddressed.ย Allย attemptsย toย coordinateย withย authoritiesย haveย beenย metย withย cosmeticย protocols,ย smallย talkย andย bureaucracyย withย noย action.
Inย thisย vein,ย theย workersย atย theย Governmentย Printeryย inย theย absenceย ofย immediateย actionย byย theย authorities,ย willย utilizeย theirย legalย rightsย asย statedย inย theย Employmentย Actย sectionย 74ย (2)ย (e)ย toย protectย theirย health.ย Thisย willย takeย theย formย inย theย firstย instanceย ofย leavingย atย 3:00pmย toย protectย their respiratoryย system andย overallย health.ย Theย industrialย actionย willย escalateย asย longย asย theย authoritiesย delay theirย responseย toย theย imminentย dangerย toย theย shortย andย longย termย healthย ofย ourย workers.
Theย Grenadaย Publicย Workersโย Union maintainsย itsย commitmentย toย collaborationย withย allย stakeholders includingย Governmentย forย theย healthย andย safetyย ofย ourย members.
