By FARRAH JOHNSON

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

WATER and Sewerage Corporation executive chairman Adrian Gibson said officials uncovered an “abuse of overtime” among a handful of workers doing restoration on Abaco following Hurricane Dorian.

His comments came at a press conference responding to what he termed “baseless and erroneous attacks” from Bahamas Utilities Service and Allied Workers Union President Dwayne Woods.

Mr Woods led union members in a protest at WSC on Wednesday where he “threatened a total shut down” after accusing WSC executives of attempting to decrease the union’s influence by rolling back a number of benefits.

Responding to the union’s demonstration at a press conference at WSC headquarters yesterday, Mr Gibson said the corporation was “taken aback” by the union’s position.

“At no time has the corporation’s executives sought to ignore, disregard or disrespect our employees,” he said.

“We were disappointed to hear of yesterday’s actions and again today when the president encouraged our staff to engage in what the corporation views as an illegal sick out. Fortunately, only a small handful participated in that exercise.”

Addressing specific issues raised in Wednesday’s demonstration, Mr Gibson said WSC’s accounting department had to “raise a red flag” after discovering an “abuse of overtime” in Abaco following Hurricane Dorian.

“It was discovered that a handful of persons assigned to the Abaco restoration exercise had accrued astounding amounts of overtime, with claims of 200 and 300 hours of overtime for the month of October — in addition to their regular hours of work,” Mr Gibson said.

According to Mr Gibson, the average monthly salary for each of the people who made the claims ranged from $2,200 to $3,500 per month.

He said that those amounts, in addition to regular payments, exceeded the monthly salaries of all of WSC’s executive managers, which forced the corporation to launch an “extensive review and investigation” to get a comprehensive understanding of the claims.

“Notably, during the period in question, BPL’s power was down and therefore there was no light. WSC did not have mobile work lights on the island and the water was still receding in certain areas.

“All of the overtime was signed off upon by a member of staff who has faced disciplinary action.”

As it relates to grievances the BAWUSU president raised over responsibility allowance, Mr Gibson said the payment is not an “automatic entitlement to staff”.

Quoting Article 29.02 of the union’s industrial agreement, he said that this benefit is only granted to “an employee who does not satisfy all the requirements to receive acting allowance but is called upon to perform a significant part of the duties in an established or newly created position…”

He added: “In several instances, we discovered that this allowance was being used to supplement the salaries of persons whilst those persons essentially carried out their usual roles.”

Mr Gibson added that after the matter came to their attention, the corporation’s board and executive management “brought an end to that approach.”

He also said the corporation reserves the right to promote deserving and meritorious employees and insisted that no employee has been disenfranchised by the WSC.

Stating that the WSC is unaware of the 28 items Mr Woods accused the corporation of breaching, Mr Gibson said WSC is working on a counter-proposal to Mr Woods’ proposal for a new industrial agreement.

“The corporation continues to hold quarterly meetings with the union to discuss matters of mutual interest. Any assertion to the contrary is simply untrue,” he insisted.