Several Jamaican immigration officers at the Passport, Immigration, and Citizenship Agency (PICA) reportedly called in sick and chose not to report for duty amid issues with the handling of the interdiction process, special allowance, and alleged mistreatment.
There have been delays at the Sangster International Airport as immigration officers have joined their Kingston colleagues who started the industrial action.
Granville Valentine, General Secretary of the National Workers Union (NWU), said that the Kingston workers have called in “sick,” and that the 6 a.m. – 2 p.m. line staff has reported feeling too ill to go to work.
Some divisions affected include shipping, deportation, border management, and extension of stay.
Valentine expressed that the workers have lost confidence in the management and have become frustrated and demotivated.
He further said that the Industrial Dispute Tribunal had ruled that special allowances, amounting to approximately $48,000 should be paid to immigration officers. However, he noted that some workers had not received the benefit.
Additionally, the workers have reportedly expressed frustration by management’s alleged “general mistreatment” including allegations of interdiction of colleagues without disciplinary hearings.
However, PICA has denied allegations that it has wronged workers and dismissed reports of corrupt practices.
Valentine has requested that the relevant authorities, including Minister of National Security Dr. Horace Chang, meet with him on Wednesday to resolve the matter.
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