ADC lab workers protest
suspended Head’s return
CAY HILL--Analytic Diagnostic Centre (ADC) workers walked off the job early Monday to protest the return to work of suspended ADC Head Etienne Jamanika.
Their protest, which started around 7:40am and ended close to noon, resulted in a build-up of about 60 persons who were waiting for lab services, some from as early as 6:00am.
Work at the lab slowed to a snail’s pace, as only two persons remained on the job to tend to the patients.
“This is not right,” commented Lewis LeBlanc, who was one of the many patients complaining about the lengthy waiting period.
Jamanika was suspended last year for what then ADC Director Chris Peterson had said was a “breach of trust.” The matter was subsequently taken to court, which ruled that Jamanika should be allowed to return to work.
The workers downed tools and walked off the job after they turned up to work to find Jamanika in his office yesterday.
The workers are not keen on working under Jamanika’s leadership. They have alleged that Jamanika is “incompetent” and “disrespectful” and that he has no knowledge about lab operations.
Jamanika declined to comment and referred The Daily Herald to his attorney Jairo Bloem (see related story).
The workers said they had sent a letter to the ADC Management in Curaçao outlining their grievances and informing them that they were not willing to work with Jamanika under any circumstances. “We told them that if Jamanika ever came back to the lab we would walk off the job,” lab worker Lorna Richardson said.
The workers said nothing had been communicated to them that Jamanika would return to the lab on Monday.
The workers returned to their posts around 11:30am after State Secretary for Health Rodolphe Samuel intervened in the matter and Jamanika subsequently left.
Samuel said he had initiated talks between Jaminika and the ADC management in Curaçao.
Richardson said that once the workers returned to their posts, all efforts had been made to process the estimated 60 persons who were waiting for lab services.
“We told the patients that we were sorry for what had transpired, but we informed them that we had to take a stand,” she said.
Melanie Cook (86) was one of those waiting in queue. “The workers walked out and didn’t say anything to us,” said Cook’s son, Augusto Reiph. He said his mother had been waiting for service since 6:00am, but when she went in to have her test done, she was told that the person who had to do the test was not working.
He said his mother was sick and needed her test done urgently. Cook said she had been promised that someone would visit her home on Wednesday to perform the test.
Carmen Arrindell, another patient, said that while she understood that the workers wanted to shed light on their grievances, patients should have been enlightened about the situation much earlier. She said many persons had taken time off from their jobs to visit the lab and waiting for a lengthy period was not feasible for some.
Windward Islands Civil Servants Union (WICSU) President William Reed showed up in solidarity with the workers during their action yesterday.
No-one from Curacao-based ABVO union had contacted the workers about their grievances up to press time yesterday. The workers were very critical about ABVO, which won rights to represent them in a referendum held at all the labs in the Antilles some time back.
The workers had wanted a separate referendum in St. Maarten so that they could vote for a union based in St. Maarten. They claimed they had never been contacted by any ABVO representative before or after the referendum.
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