THERE IS MORE TROUBLE brewing at the Sanitation Service Authority (SSA).

This time it revolves around Westbury Cemetery, where workers are divided in their support of working hours set by management.

Some support the regular 8 a.m. start. Others prefer a 6:30 a.m. start.

Superintendent of Cemeteries Emeric Cummins said: "Some workers are complaining about the sun. We have decided to release the equipment at 7 a.m., no earlier."

Cummins also highlighted a problem with allowing workers to start early.

"The difficulty with this is that any injuries they sustain before 8 a.m. will not be recognised if they are to make an insurance claim. I do not think they understand that.

"The major contention is that under this new management and particularly my watch, workers can no longer clock out at 9 a.m. and expect to be paid for a full day's work. It is not acceptable in the Civil Service."

One worker in the group, who favours the 8 a.m. start said it was the normal time to start work.

In another group, 100 metres away, a worker said:

"There is too much favouritism going on at this place. I do not have any comment about the time we start work because no matter what time, I have to be here, but management only looks after one set of people."

Another issue of concern at the cemetery was the rejection of a transfer letter by a female employee.

Cummins highlighted the situation as a serious one, saying that the worker refused to report for work at Bushy Park, St Philip, under a directive from the union.

"The transfer letter was handed over on June 20, and it was supposed to come into effect June 23. That same day she reported for work here and I reminded her of the transfer. It was at that point that she said she was told by the union not to move from Westbury and to date she has not reported for work at Bushy Park Cemetery," he said.

Assistant general secretary at the National Union of Public Works Roslyn Smith said that the issue had been rectified.

"That transfer letter has been retracted and the only place that she has to report for work is Westbury Cemetery." (PCA)