President of the Guyana Labour Union, Carvil Duncan, said he would serve notices to the Public Works and Communications, and Labour Minister today, stating that sea defence workers countrywide, who have been denied pay increases since 2008,cheap jerseys from china, would go on strike within a month’s time if this issue is not resolved.Duncan told this publication that he has exhausted every other possible means to get fair treatment for the workers, but there has been no success to date. It was explained that these workers are not acknowledged as public servants, despite the fact that their salaries are structured like those of public servants.The workers have found themselves in a “hybrid” position, Duncan stated, and,Wholesale China Jerseys, since they fall under the Public Utility and Public Undertaking Act, they are forced to give one month’s notice before proceeding on strike.“Hybrid means that they are not public servants, neither are they contracted employees; they are in no man’s land which is wrong,” lamented Duncan.He said the union has made enough cordial representations on the workers’ behalf, and it was now time to act. “… I’m left with no alternative than to take action… so that John Public would know that there is a set of people out there serving this country,Cheap MLB Jerseys, waking up 3- 4 o’clock in the morning, coming out of their beds when the sea defences break; and they are still not enjoying the benefits they ought to enjoy…. That’s unfair…. They must make a decision where these people fall… if these people are not public servants, the union will negotiate increases on their behalf,” he said.“The sea defence workers are the burden bearers monitoring the sea line of this country,” Duncan stressed, stating that it is very frustrating and embarrassing for him, as workers are of the opinion that the union is dragging its foot on the issue.Meanwhile,Cheap NHL Jerseys, this newspaper spoke with sea defence workers at Onverwagt and Skeldon in Berbice, and Anna Regina, Wakenaam and Leguan in Essequibo and the story remains the same. Some of the workers stated that there are sea defence staff who have been working for more than 10 years, and are still being paid ridiculous salaries.One employee out of Leguan, where there are about 23 affected employees, read a portion of a circular, dated December 3, 2010,NFL Jerseys Authentic China, which was received from the permanent secretary of the Public Works and Communications Ministry, Balram Balraj.The circular stated that an across-the-board five per cent increase for public servants had been approved. The employee said they were of the view that they would have benefitted from the increase, but that was not the case.The sea defence workers also spoke of the embarrassment of repaying a temporary cost of living allowance paid to them between May and September 2008. A male employee from the Onverwagt location explained that public service employees earning below $50,000 per month received the allowance. However,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, a letter, dated October 14, stated that the payment was made in error and would have to be refunded, starting that same month end.Workers had their salaries cut by $2,000 for 10 months until all the monies were returned.The frustrated employees said that they have been demoralised by the actions taken against them.Some of them also expressed dissatisfaction over their union’s action on the matter.There are about 150 affected sea defence workers, including the accounts department within the work services group. Several attempts to get an explanation from Minister Robeson Benn, or Permanent Secretary Balram Balraj, were futile.