A significant portion of V.I. Waste Management Authority employees did not appear for work yesterday and have continued the sick-out protest today, the Consortium can confirm.
The employees, who work under the authority's Wastewater Division, are currently bargaining with WMA officials for higher pay and for hazardous work that they conduct, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.
According to WMA, the division is responsible for the collection, transportation, and disposal of wastewater—liquid that “if left untreated and is discharged into the environment, would create a public nuisance or health hazard”— for 60 percent of Virgin Islanders. The employees are continuing a legacy of protests related to the authority, as nearly two years ago four major waste haulers blocked entrances to the Anguilla Landfill in protest of payments owed to them by the V.I. government.
In a press release issued today, WMA said it is currently experiencing delays in its house-to-house trash collection for the Frederiksted area, which includes Estates Concordia, La Grange, Prosperity, White Bay, Stoney Ground, White Lady, Williams Delight, and Cane. The delays will also affect Estate Peter’s Rest. “We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause and are working diligently to resolve the issue as soon as possible,” Lorna Nicholas-Minkoff, communications director for the authority, wrote in the release. She later told the Consortium that WMA is severely short staffed, and that the current hot weather "has been relentless," without providing further explanation. Ms. Nicholas-Minkoff did not comment when asked if the two-day sickout had impacted waste collection. "I will address your concerns after we have met with Government House," she said.
This is a developing story; check back for more updates.
