After careful deliberations and consultation, the Grenada Public Workersโ Union (GPWU), has made the hard decision to bring to the attention of its members, matters which if left to go unchecked, will continue to further compromise the safety and wellbeing of our workers and by direct implication, extension the general public.
The GPWU has noted and have received numerous reports and concerns from our members, including those directly on the frontlines, about the handling of positive COVID cases and the high risk of exposure to workers within ministries and departments.
For over a period of one week, the GPWU has made repeated efforts to directly bring these various concerns to the authorities and to hold deliberations at the highest levels of administration โ the Cabinet Secretary, the Minister of Health and the Chief Medical Officerโ to put measures in place for the protection of all. We have had no success.
As a direct stakeholder with a keen willingness to partner with Government in the fight against the COVID 19 disease and the dreaded Delta variant which was announced by health officials on Thursday, August 12, the union has not been accommodated. In the meantime, we have made every effort to calm our workers and soothe their anxieties to keep the service functioning.
At this time however, our responsibility and duty of care to our members does not allow the union to remain silent any longer. Weย areย thereforeย stronglyย urgingย allย ourย members,ย whereย youย haveย beenย exposedย toย positiveย COVIDย 19ย casesย inย the workplace,ย andย whereย yourย healthย andย safetyย hasย beenย compromised,ย toย immediatelyย removeย yourselvesย fromย theย workย place and returnย homeย toย isolateย andย quarantineย accordingย toย WHO/PAHOย andย Ministryย ofย Healthย Grenadaย guidelines.ย
Weย alsoย urgeย thatย thoseย ofย youย who haveย beenย directlyย exposed,ย toย please tryย toย makeย arrangementsย forย privateย transportationย to returnย home,ย as aย responsibleย actย toย protectย theย publicย andย seekingย testingย inย theย comingย days.
The GPWU notes the numerous examples set by the private sector and urges the Government of Grenada that where positive COVID cases have been identified, especially in high risk/traffic service areas, that those departments should be temporarily closed and service scaled back. To do otherwise would be to continue to expose the entire country to unnecessary risk.
Weย encourageย ourย membersย toย remainย calmย andย focused,ย payย attentionย toย updatesย andย releasesย fromย theย unionย asย weย continueย toย advocateย for yourย safety.
