It may be one of the better-managed constituencies in the country but it isn't utopia and still there are some unhappy souls in the Albert Division. This morning a group of young men who were once employed by the Albert Area Representative to clean up the Albert Division gathered in a mini demonstration at the S.E.L. Offices on Baymen Avenue to complain that they were being treated unfairly and that their wages were not enough for the work they carry out.
Don't get us wrong - it is a tempest in a teacup - but it's a compelling profile in real time labor relations and the expectations of the modern low rent political appointee.
Alfonso Noble Reporting,
13 workers of SEL this morning walked up to its offices this demanding better treatment and better pay. The employees who form part of a gang of 19 who work in the Albert Division say that they are being treated unfairly by their supervisor.
Tan Welton S.E.L. Employee,
"We di wait pan he we work from 8 o'clock tha morning right. We di out deh di wait pan he, he no come. So we get a ball and di play some ball meantime. The truck weh we work pan no come and he no come like fu we supervisor. So he come. We no see he because we di play ball. He come and the truck no come fu we start work. Then when we done play the game we gone over to him now. He talk bout how he wan send we home now. Mek we tek the morning off because when he come we no come to he."
Paco Neal S.E.L. Employee,
"He too exact when he come he want we move as he come and most ah di time we deh out deh before he right. We want fu we supervisor stop abstract we like that because da no only me eh do it to. Most of these guys eh chance. Send man hHome tell man go home fu half day. Take off half and hour out of a man money."
Now they are asking where the money is going. They say that the cumulative docking of their pay adds up and they need to know where that money is going.
William Scott, S.E.L. Employee,
"when they di cut money now, where that money di go that they di cut from we? Whey that money di go? Thay they one di mek it and we no feel like that right."
"we wah no weh di go on with the money that they di cut from we all the time we part that di go."
That compounded by the fact that they make only $130 a week has these men up in arms. Now more than demanding accountability they are also asking for better wages.
William Scott,
"the lee money that we di get no ready because we di get 130. And if we reach half and hour to an hour late we get cut out of that 130 and where that money go. we come half an hour late he no ask we what is the reason why we come late. Or what that the reason if we have an emergency inna fu we family. Like my boy here he have to take his daugther to school fu he have to go to school."
Paco Neal,
"All a we fu we lee money weh wi di get we have to fight fu we money Deh weekend. Mi i have to spen 160 odd dollas in my house fu buy things fu my pickney them and me fu we eat and thing. We no even the mek that. We wan know whe di go on. We get cut out of your money every week you come 15 minutes late you get one hour or a half an hour cut so we want know where that di go.""
All that hard talk apparently paid off because in the end workers today told us that they received a raise from $130 a week to $140.40.
The men had once been employed by the Albert Division but they were turned over to S.E.L. to continue the same work just under different management.