NIPDEC workers claim victimisation

However, NIPDEC officials have refuted the allegation and said it is trying to ensure workers offloading containers are protected as required by the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA).

A worker at the C40 pharmaceutical division complained to Newsday that clerks and attendants were being forced to sign contracts for 2006-2007. “They said workers must comply or leave,” the worker said.

The source claimed the new contract included an attachment telling workers that NIPDEC would be paying them time and a half for offloading containers. Under the old arrangement, workers were paid separately ($100) by suppliers and offloading the containers was “optional.”

The worker said job specifications were the same for attendants and clerks although they were at different levels, years of service and pay. Among their duties are packing goods, assisting with unstuffing containers and keeping the storage area clean.

In a release issued by NIPDEC as their response to the workers’ claims, the company said new contracts were presented two weeks ago and workers were asked to indicate by a particular date whether or not they would be interested in signing them.

“This is so that the company can make any arrangements necessary to ensure smooth operations at the warehouse and, by extension, an uninterrupted supply of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical items to the nation’s health institutions and the CDAP programme.”

Commenting on the unloading of containers, NIPDEC said previously, workers were paid by suppliers for offloading containers after working hours. The workflow at C40 has been “reorganised” so workers can offload containers during normal working hours or after work for which they would be paid an overtime allowance.

To comply with OSHA and avoid any conflicts of interest, NIPDEC said suppliers were asked to send their own personnel to un-stuff containers. NIPDEC said re-evaluation of job descriptions for C40 workers has taken place and new job descriptions were issued with new contracts.