Today was the day when 26 security guards were supposed to be terminated after the City Council made the decision that their posts were redundant. By all accounts, the plan outlined to transition 20 of the 26 into a newly formed private security firm was going well. Both Mayor Darrell Bradley and CWU President Audrey Matura-Shepherd told the media this week that the labour dispute was resolved in principle.
But what about the workers? Well, we found a few of them upset that up to 2 p.m., their severance cheques, which were supposed to be ready
at that time, had still not been delivered. This afternoon a few of them spoke to us and said that the council can talk all they want about processing and it's breakdown why the cheques weren't ready, but bill collectors and their hungry children aren't very patient:
Jamie Yearwood
"People out there are following the news. They know that today we are supposed to get our cheque and they told us 2pm. Now it's 3:15pm, today is Friday, when will we get this cheque. Nobody can tell us at what time or whatever. If you all say at 2pm, which means the cheque should have been ready."
Frank Gladden
"When it comes to getting our monies, the people inside keep saying that they are working on it. It's not making any sense to me at all. I am bearing patience with these people throughout this whole thing, but now I am losing it."
Ervin Haylock
"I just want them to give me my money today, or else something will happen today."
Yolanda Bainton
"I am a security officer going for 9 years and I have 8 children. My kids didn't even go to school today because I am waiting for this cheque to feed my kids. I have bills to pay. All I want to ask Darrell Bradley is to release our cheque, we want our money to feed our kids."
Daniel Ortiz
"Ma'am, are you satisfied or pleased with the arrangements that have been made to transition you to the next company?"
Yolanda Bainton
"No, I dont not satisfy with it."
Daniel Ortiz
"Will you live with it though?"
Yolanda Bainton
"I have to live with it because I have bills to pay."
The security officers were paid at 4 o'clock, but of course, the banks weren't open. We understand that a few of them are disappointed about the sum, and believe they deserved - and were promised - more than what the cheques were valued.
