by Linda Straker
- GBN staff members are not happy with some outstanding grievances
- One of the main grievances is centred around Odette Campbell
- Protest would continue until management provides “something in writing”
André Lewis, President General of the Grenada Technical and Allied Workers Union (GTAWU), has denied that unionised staff at the Grenada Broadcasting Network (GBN) who downed tools on Monday are on strike.
“The staff is not on strike. They are away from their workstations protesting an issue,” Lewis answered when asked to explain the reason behind the decision of the staff recusing themselves from their desks at 9 am.
Bernadette Connell who is the shop steward, said that the protest is to publicly highlight to One Caribbean Media (OCM) management which has majority shares at GBN, that the staff members are not happy with some outstanding grievances.
One Caribbean Media Ltd is a vertically integrated holding company based in Port of Spain, Trinidad. It was founded in December 2005, following the merger of the Caribbean Communications Network of Trinidad & Tobago, and the Nation Corporation of Barbados. The minority shareholder of GBN is the Government of Grenada. This allows for 2 government representatives to sit on the board of directors.
One of the main grievances is centred around Odette Campbell who is the general manager. Campbell was on study leave for approximately 12 months and officially resumed her duty as of 17 September. The grievances were pointed out to the management before Campbell left on study leave.
“We are not happy with the way in which the Trinidad management is dealing with our concerns. We don’t think they are seriously considering our grievances and this action today is to show them we want our grievance to be resolved,” said Connell.
“We have done a petition which was sent to the management and members of the board of directors, and we want them to consider and take the actions as suggested from us the workers,” she added without disclosing what action was recommended to the management.
Connell said that the protest would continue until the staff is satisfied that the management will listen to them by providing “something in writing” that the matter will be handled in a professional and moral way to the approval of all involved.