Young contracted employees put at disadvantage – Senator Isaac

Contractual employment within the public service has increased tremendously and remains prevalent in Saint Lucia, according to veteran trade unionist and Senator Mary Isaac.

But young people are placed at a greater disadvantage, when compared to more mature persons, who are often hired as consultants and advisors by the current administration.

Isaac said that a majority of young people entering the public service for the first time are being placed on contracts, which affect them in many ways.

“When they give young people contracts, they don’t benefit from a gratuity, whereas, when a contract is given to a consultant, they are given huge gratuity benefits,” she explained.

However, not only are they being robbed of these benefits, but they find it difficult to acquire a loan from the bank, simply because the bank does not recognise temporary employment.

The Opposition Senator said that sometimes these very same young people are placed in various positions for many years without being confirmed, which is another troubling development.

“If there is a vacancy and the person is replacing someone who has left, then there is a need to make the person a permanent staff,” the trade unionist asserted.

According to Isaac, there are people within the public service, whose contracts are renewed for many years, while they continue to benefit from a gratuity, which she described as being wasteful.

She said, “At the point where you are renewing somebody’s contract 10, 15, 20 years, it means that there is a vacancy that needs to be filled and you are wasting money by giving a gratuity every two or three years when you know you are going to continue the contracts.”

Isaac said when the public service was functioning more effectively, persons placed on contracts would be skilled individuals sourced from overseas to work on a short-term basis.

Via stlucianewsonline