THE St. Lucia Civil Service Association (CSA) has been in negotiations on behalf of our members who are employed by business organizations in the southwest of the country viz:- Choiseul Cooperative Credit Union, St. Lucia Marine Management Authority (SMMA) and the Soufriere Regional Development Foundation (SRDF).
We successfully concluded negotiations with the SMMA in January 2019 and the employees were very pleased with the package negotiated on their behalf which includes General Wage Increase, Retroactive Pay, Uniforms, Gratuity, Overtime Pay, Meal allowance, On-call Allowance, Medical Insurance.
This agreement runs from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2021.
Negotiations with the Choiseul Co-operative Credit Union are progressing smoothly and the parties have agreed on a number of fringe benefits. Our second negotiations meeting is scheduled for Wednesday March 6, 2019 where we will commence discussions on the important issue of wage increase for the new triennium.
Our negotiations with the Soufriere Regional Development Foundation which began late last year had to be suspended due to an outstanding matter regarding the payment of bonuses. The parties agreed to refer the matter to the Labour Commissioner’s Office which has since ruled in favour of the CSA and our members at the Foundation.
This information has been forwarded to the Management of the SRDF, so we are awaiting word from them as to when the bonuses will be paid to the hard working and deserving employees.
Meanwhile employees of the Foundation are eager for the parties to recommence negotiations and to conclude talks with quick dispatch.
— Claude A. Paul
General Secretary