Marigot: ---Workers from all post offices on the French side began an unlimited industrial action yesterday as they demand equality. The workers who stood outside the main post office in Marigot are asking that all postal workers on French St. Martin receive the €200 increase as their colleagues in Guadeloupe.
They are also asking that respect be given and that they be treated equally in receiving their lunch bonds, housing allowances and the necessary heavy equipments to process mails as well as more personnel to handle the huge amount of clients on a daily basis.
Speaking on behalf of the CFDT, CFTC, CGTC, FD, SUD and the PTT unions, Jean Louis Hunt said there are a number of grievances facing postal workers on St. Martin and these issues must be addressed. "Unless they address all of the issues we will not be going back to work". He declared.
Hunt said the post office receives a large amount of people on a daily basis, he said the lines in front of the Marigot Post Office would reach the court house each morning and there are not sufficient clerks to deal with the amount of people they are called to serve. "While we have booths there is no clerk in them so they stay empty, while the other workers have to over work themselves." Hunt further explained that they need heavy equipment to process mail and to date that machine is not given to them. He said while the postal workers have the possibility to receive lunch bonds in Guadeloupe those on St. Martin are deprived of it and that is not fair.
The union representative said one of their biggest grievances with management of the Post Office relates to one of their colleague Patricio Piper aka Patto. "Patto has been working for the post office since 1985 and he has been treated unfairly. Right now the Post Office wants to transfer Piper to Chronpost and doing so would allow them to escape jail or other punishment." Hunt said. He explained the post office was not paying the social charges for Piper for a number of years and they also owe him a lot of monies and instead of paying him they are looking into getting rid of him illegally. Hunt said when management asked Piper to sign the contract to go over to Chronopost and he refused they began treating him as if he is no one and has been flaring insults at him ever since. He said management went as far telling Piper if he did not want to go over to Chronopost which belongs to the private sector then he should leave. "Can you imagine they are telling him to leave without putting it in writing" Hunt asked.
Other concerns for the postal workers are the heavy work load in certain districts that has to be addressed. Hunt said all workers from the Post Offices are going to be meeting again today in front of the Marigot Post Office where the action continues.