And, after that we asked President Luke to take off his NTUCB hat and put on the one he uses as a regular public officer.
That's because we wanted to sample his opinion about the very persistent rumor that government wants to give public officers a hundred dollar Christmas bonus. We stress there is nothing official - and the President of the PSU didn't respond to our requests for an interview on it.
But, for his part as a public officer, Luke Martinez says he doesn't want any part of a hundred dollars:
Luke Martinez, President, NTUCB
"I don't know anything about any bonus."
Jules Vasquez
"You are a public officer though?"
Luke Martinez, President, NTUCB
"Yes I am a public officer, I don't know that money that they are talking about on social media could do for me."
Jules Vasquez
"How would you feel you have been without your full pay for the past 6 months and at least at Christmas the government says see a little $100 here man. How would you feel about that gesture?"
Luke Martinez, President, NTUCB
"Me no want that, I want my 15%. That is what I want. I don't want no $100. Come on. That takes you back to old colonial days brother. We are beyond that. Thats a shameful act what public officers lost. $100 will not help nobody for Christmas. You could have at least when you bring the last 2 supplementary, you bring a supplementary in October and approximately 6 weeks later you bring a supplementary in December. That could at least have 5% in it. It could at least have something in it for public officers. I no want hear thanks and I no want no little jokey $100. As a matter of fact for the public officers who pays income tax, income tax will wax that."
Again, nothing official on that - and there may never be because the blowback on social media from public officers who feel disrespected has been enormous.
