Public Sector employees working under the purview of the government think that they are being victimized by their employer. 

That was the message that several workers wanted PSA Media to tell when we spoke to at least four public sector employees earlier today. 

One worker who preferred not to give her name said that the government kept mounting pressure on their employees and claimed that the quasi-safe-zone policy is just a long list of grievances that employees have with their employer. 

“It seems as though they do not care that some workers are living off their families.” She added, “Some workers are living off 2013 salaries and we haven’t heard anything about salary negotiations, things going up every day and now this new policy that they are trying to push down peoples throats telling them no vaccination, no pay, so what, like they are just trying to frustrate people.” 

The worker noted that while she was not against vaccination, she did not think that it was something she should just get up one day and take. 

“In my opinion, and I can speak only for myself. I need to make sure I am well rested and in good health before I take that vaccine.” She said. 

Another worker who also asked not to be named echoed a similar sentiment stating that while she was not anti-vaccine, she simply did not like the idea that someone was giving her an ultimatum to take something she had to think carefully about. 

She went on to tell PSA Media, “This government comes like a thief in the night.” Everything is simply passed by a simple majority in the parliament although it is against people’s basic human rights.” She claimed that this administration has been trying to change the terms and conditions of public servants for the longest time and said maybe they have finally gotten their authority to do so. However, she warned, “When I signed up for this job at service commission there never was anything about having to take a vaccine.” She added: “I simply hope the union stays vigilant because I do not think this government cares anything about a union.

Yesterday, during an in-person media conference Public Services Association(PSA) President Leroy Baptiste spoke on behalf of workers and called on the government to engage the trade union in a meaningful way. He said that there were other means that the government could focus on that could also reduce hospitalisations namely enforcing social distancing, sanitisation, and encouraging work-from-home measures.