KEAN PTSA MEETING AT SCHOOL LIBRARY
The Parent Teachers Student Association of the Ivanna Eudora Kean High School is inviting all parents of students to attend an important meeting at the library. Under discussion will be the options of the parents and students of the twelfth grade regarding the last minute inclusion of three additional courses for graduation. Election of officers will also take place.
ROCK LOUNGE AT VILLA FAIRVIEW TO FEATURE CHINNERY
The next Rock Lounge will be at the Villa Fairview, featuring music of Akin Chinnery and friends plus the artwork of Virgin Islander Solomon Webson. Villa Fairview is located at 8A Catherineberg just up and around the corner from All Saints School.
For more information call Tiphanie Yanique at 513-2266.
For more information call Tiphanie Yanique at 513-2266.
VIIPS'S HALLOWEEN PARTY COMING
The VI Institute of Performing Arts will hold a Halloween party with face painting, games, dance contests haunted house, prizes and movies. Admission is $1. Refreshments will be on sale.
For more information call Sadie Taylor at 776-6500 ext 4529.
For more information call Sadie Taylor at 776-6500 ext 4529.
SENATOR, HOVENSA OFFICIAL AT ODDS ON TASK FORCE
Oct. 18, 2002 – Sen. Norman Jn Baptiste said he "summarily dismissed" an Oct. 7 letter distributed throughout the 24th Legislature by Hovensa Vice President Alex Moorhead in response to the body's resolution that the governor appoint a task force to look into employment issues at the refinery.
The Senate overwhelmingly approved the resolution, with all but Sen. Adelbert Bryan voting in favor.
Jn Baptiste, in a letter sent Wednesday to Gov. Charles W. Turnbull, requested that the governor move expeditiously in appointing the task force in light of layoffs at the company. More than 800 Hovensa and subcontractor employees were furloughed over insurance issues. Most have since returned to work, but some remain jobless.
"My office has been inundated with constituents who are experiencing extreme financial and emotional hardships as a result of being unemployed," Jn Baptiste said.
The senator said "extenuating factors" such as the global oil market and local insurance crises has contributed to the situation. He noted that some employees were laid off for failure to pass a "safety comprehension test" administered by subcontractors, even though for years they had satisfactorily performed their jobs.
"Nevertheless, it is imperative that we move beyond the blame game, in that many residents of St. Croix are without work with no prospect of employment in sight, and are confronted daily with the probability of losing all that they have worked hard to attain," said Jn Baptiste.
Though Turnbull had 30 days from the passage of the Aug. 28 petition to appoint the task force, Government House remains quiet on the issue, he said.
Moorhead's letter said the Senate resolution made an unfavorable judgment of the company before any investigation and without giving Hovensa an opportunity to respond.
The resolution stated that "The Legislature of the Virgin Islands strongly deplores and condemns any employment policy or practice by Hovensa and/or its affiliate contractors which violates the provisions of the (Hess) agreement and which may be unfair or disadvantageous to local residents."
Moorhead called the statement a "totally baseless and unsubstantiated assertion." Hovensa has no objection to the Legislature's request for an investigation into its employment practices, he said, "However, how can such an investigation proceed in an objective and impartial manner when it is the result of a resolution containing grossly inaccurate statements about our company that, essentially, prejudge the issue?"
He focused his criticism in particular on the Senate's allegations about employee testing, hiring off-island employees in lieu of locals, and laying off long-term employees without retirement or benefits.
Moorhead said off-island employees are hired only when there is a shortage of qualified craftsmen for major construction projects or large turnaround of process units, and maintained that they are not displacing long-term contractor-employees.
The contractors offer two types of retirement plans, he said. "Even if that were not the case, the lack of a retirement plan should be no justification for an investigation, because that condition does not constitute a violation of federal or Virgin Islands law."
Moorhead said Hovensa does not administer the comprehension tests to its own employees, but that all employees of subcontractors are tested as a provision of the companies' contracts with Hovensa.
"The safety comprehension test does not attempt to determine a person's job knowledge or knowledge of safety regulations," Moorhead said. "Instead, it tests a person's ability to read and understand safety materials, and all prospective and incumbent employees of our maintenance contractors are required to pass this test, regardless of where they were domiciled at the time that they were considered for hiring."
Moorhead said the agreement with the maintenance contractors stipulates that prospective employees who fail the test will not be employed on refinery grounds. He said some current employees of the contractors were hired before the test was implemented and subsequently failed it.
He said regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) require the operator of a refinery to post warning signs, use safety labels and ensure workers understand precautions and safety hazards.
"It is our company's judgment that, although these contractor-employees have years of work experience in the refinery, they cannot read at a sufficiently high grade level to understand the safety material," Moorhead said.
In response, he said, the company and a workers' union have sponsored remedial reading courses and encouraged incumbent employees who failed the test to take those courses.
Prospective employees began taking the tests, he said, sometime before 1998, when Hovensa was formed from Hess and Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. He said the company began offering the remedial programs before that time as well.
Subsequently, he said, some workers passed the test while others dropped out of the courses, which are still being offered.
"Some have expressed the sentiment that they are too old to learn to read," Moorhead said. "Some have failed to take the courses, whether because of embarrassment or the belief that they should be allowed to continue working in the refinery based on their tenure as workers in the facility."
Moorhead said the problem cannot be ignored, "if for no other reason, because of the fact that the longer that we allow maintenance workers who cannot read safety material to continue working in the refinery, the more likely that an incident will occur in which a worker causes injury to himself or a co-worker."
Therefore, Hovensa has begun setting deadlines for maintenance contractors to comply with testing standards for all their incumbent employees, Moorhead said.
But Jn Baptiste said there appeared to be contradictions in Moorhead's letter and the company could do more to train current employees to pass the comprehension test.
He said it was standard practice in every industry to "grandfather in" existing employees, and in an attempt to do so, those workers should have been given a training program well in advance of the requirements.
"If Mr. Moorhead says such a training program existed, I would tell him that's not true. It was offered only after the employees had taken the test and failed," Jn Baptiste said.
He said a Senate measure that would have taken away companies' tax benefits for firing an employee without training him acted as a catalyst for stepping up the training programs. The governor vetoed that legislation.
Jn Baptiste said reports to his office from former refinery employees show contradictions in Moorhead's statement.
"It's my understanding that individuals hired from the mainland are not given the test," Jn Baptiste said. "It is within my prerogative as a senator to call for a task force to look into such allegations.
"We have to be sensitive to the needs of the workers at the refinery," he said. "But to simply arbitrarily administer tests without providing training – that test has been administered from last year and perhaps before that."
He said he does not believe the Senate resolution was biased against the refinery. "Mr. Moorhead has taken a myopic view of the resolution and to some extent viewed it from a very limited perspective."
Working toward a resolution beneficial to all parties regarding labor issues at the refinery is the goal, Jn Baptiste said.
Neither Jn Baptiste nor Moorhead could say just how many workers have been laid off at the refinery. Moorhead said the company is researching the matter, as well as the "several assumptions" made in Jn Baptiste's letter to the governor.
Calls to Government House thi s week were not returned.
The governor noted recently that the local business sector "is currently undergoing various hardships resulting from numerous causes." He said government must maintain "a delicate balance … to ensure that the business sector receives fair treatment and likewise that employees are fairly treated."
Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
The Senate overwhelmingly approved the resolution, with all but Sen. Adelbert Bryan voting in favor.
Jn Baptiste, in a letter sent Wednesday to Gov. Charles W. Turnbull, requested that the governor move expeditiously in appointing the task force in light of layoffs at the company. More than 800 Hovensa and subcontractor employees were furloughed over insurance issues. Most have since returned to work, but some remain jobless.
"My office has been inundated with constituents who are experiencing extreme financial and emotional hardships as a result of being unemployed," Jn Baptiste said.
The senator said "extenuating factors" such as the global oil market and local insurance crises has contributed to the situation. He noted that some employees were laid off for failure to pass a "safety comprehension test" administered by subcontractors, even though for years they had satisfactorily performed their jobs.
"Nevertheless, it is imperative that we move beyond the blame game, in that many residents of St. Croix are without work with no prospect of employment in sight, and are confronted daily with the probability of losing all that they have worked hard to attain," said Jn Baptiste.
Though Turnbull had 30 days from the passage of the Aug. 28 petition to appoint the task force, Government House remains quiet on the issue, he said.
Moorhead's letter said the Senate resolution made an unfavorable judgment of the company before any investigation and without giving Hovensa an opportunity to respond.
The resolution stated that "The Legislature of the Virgin Islands strongly deplores and condemns any employment policy or practice by Hovensa and/or its affiliate contractors which violates the provisions of the (Hess) agreement and which may be unfair or disadvantageous to local residents."
Moorhead called the statement a "totally baseless and unsubstantiated assertion." Hovensa has no objection to the Legislature's request for an investigation into its employment practices, he said, "However, how can such an investigation proceed in an objective and impartial manner when it is the result of a resolution containing grossly inaccurate statements about our company that, essentially, prejudge the issue?"
He focused his criticism in particular on the Senate's allegations about employee testing, hiring off-island employees in lieu of locals, and laying off long-term employees without retirement or benefits.
Moorhead said off-island employees are hired only when there is a shortage of qualified craftsmen for major construction projects or large turnaround of process units, and maintained that they are not displacing long-term contractor-employees.
The contractors offer two types of retirement plans, he said. "Even if that were not the case, the lack of a retirement plan should be no justification for an investigation, because that condition does not constitute a violation of federal or Virgin Islands law."
Moorhead said Hovensa does not administer the comprehension tests to its own employees, but that all employees of subcontractors are tested as a provision of the companies' contracts with Hovensa.
"The safety comprehension test does not attempt to determine a person's job knowledge or knowledge of safety regulations," Moorhead said. "Instead, it tests a person's ability to read and understand safety materials, and all prospective and incumbent employees of our maintenance contractors are required to pass this test, regardless of where they were domiciled at the time that they were considered for hiring."
Moorhead said the agreement with the maintenance contractors stipulates that prospective employees who fail the test will not be employed on refinery grounds. He said some current employees of the contractors were hired before the test was implemented and subsequently failed it.
He said regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) require the operator of a refinery to post warning signs, use safety labels and ensure workers understand precautions and safety hazards.
"It is our company's judgment that, although these contractor-employees have years of work experience in the refinery, they cannot read at a sufficiently high grade level to understand the safety material," Moorhead said.
In response, he said, the company and a workers' union have sponsored remedial reading courses and encouraged incumbent employees who failed the test to take those courses.
Prospective employees began taking the tests, he said, sometime before 1998, when Hovensa was formed from Hess and Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. He said the company began offering the remedial programs before that time as well.
Subsequently, he said, some workers passed the test while others dropped out of the courses, which are still being offered.
"Some have expressed the sentiment that they are too old to learn to read," Moorhead said. "Some have failed to take the courses, whether because of embarrassment or the belief that they should be allowed to continue working in the refinery based on their tenure as workers in the facility."
Moorhead said the problem cannot be ignored, "if for no other reason, because of the fact that the longer that we allow maintenance workers who cannot read safety material to continue working in the refinery, the more likely that an incident will occur in which a worker causes injury to himself or a co-worker."
Therefore, Hovensa has begun setting deadlines for maintenance contractors to comply with testing standards for all their incumbent employees, Moorhead said.
But Jn Baptiste said there appeared to be contradictions in Moorhead's letter and the company could do more to train current employees to pass the comprehension test.
He said it was standard practice in every industry to "grandfather in" existing employees, and in an attempt to do so, those workers should have been given a training program well in advance of the requirements.
"If Mr. Moorhead says such a training program existed, I would tell him that's not true. It was offered only after the employees had taken the test and failed," Jn Baptiste said.
He said a Senate measure that would have taken away companies' tax benefits for firing an employee without training him acted as a catalyst for stepping up the training programs. The governor vetoed that legislation.
Jn Baptiste said reports to his office from former refinery employees show contradictions in Moorhead's statement.
"It's my understanding that individuals hired from the mainland are not given the test," Jn Baptiste said. "It is within my prerogative as a senator to call for a task force to look into such allegations.
"We have to be sensitive to the needs of the workers at the refinery," he said. "But to simply arbitrarily administer tests without providing training – that test has been administered from last year and perhaps before that."
He said he does not believe the Senate resolution was biased against the refinery. "Mr. Moorhead has taken a myopic view of the resolution and to some extent viewed it from a very limited perspective."
Working toward a resolution beneficial to all parties regarding labor issues at the refinery is the goal, Jn Baptiste said.
Neither Jn Baptiste nor Moorhead could say just how many workers have been laid off at the refinery. Moorhead said the company is researching the matter, as well as the "several assumptions" made in Jn Baptiste's letter to the governor.
Calls to Government House thi s week were not returned.
The governor noted recently that the local business sector "is currently undergoing various hardships resulting from numerous causes." He said government must maintain "a delicate balance … to ensure that the business sector receives fair treatment and likewise that employees are fairly treated."
Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
UVI INSTITUTE TRAINEES READY FOR WORKFORCE
Oct. 18, 2002 – Thirty-nine trainees will receive certificates of completion from the University of the Virgin Islands for successfully meeting the requirements of the hospitality and information technology training program offered by the Workforce and Economic Development Institute.
The three-month program officially ends with closing ceremonies from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 25 at the Sports and Fitness Center on the St. Thomas campus and from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Student Center on the St. Croix campus.
Eleven participants on St. Thomas and 28 participants on St. Croix will receive certificates of completion at the ceremonies. The program included one month of on-the-job internship training.
WEDI project director Mabel Maduro said the pilot training program met its training goals and participants are now prepared for entry-level hospitality and computer information technology jobs.
Maduro said the training has fostered partnerships with government and private business entities, noting that approximately 20 businesses in the territory provided internship positions for the trainees.
"The development and implementation of the training program was based on teamwork," Maduro said. "A solid foundation has been laid and will serve as the template for similar UVI workforce training initiatives."
WEDI is one area of the community and personal development unit at UVI that provides training for positions in the local workforce.
"This is the first of many programs that UVI will be offering to meet the current and future workforce and professional development needs of the territory" said Ilene Garner, UVI’s community and personal development director. "We will continue to build upon valued partnerships with government and businesses to develop programs that address those needs."
For more information on WEDI programs or the closing ceremonies, call Maduro at 714-7620.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
The three-month program officially ends with closing ceremonies from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 25 at the Sports and Fitness Center on the St. Thomas campus and from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Student Center on the St. Croix campus.
Eleven participants on St. Thomas and 28 participants on St. Croix will receive certificates of completion at the ceremonies. The program included one month of on-the-job internship training.
WEDI project director Mabel Maduro said the pilot training program met its training goals and participants are now prepared for entry-level hospitality and computer information technology jobs.
Maduro said the training has fostered partnerships with government and private business entities, noting that approximately 20 businesses in the territory provided internship positions for the trainees.
"The development and implementation of the training program was based on teamwork," Maduro said. "A solid foundation has been laid and will serve as the template for similar UVI workforce training initiatives."
WEDI is one area of the community and personal development unit at UVI that provides training for positions in the local workforce.
"This is the first of many programs that UVI will be offering to meet the current and future workforce and professional development needs of the territory" said Ilene Garner, UVI’s community and personal development director. "We will continue to build upon valued partnerships with government and businesses to develop programs that address those needs."
For more information on WEDI programs or the closing ceremonies, call Maduro at 714-7620.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
UVI INSTITUTE TRAINEES READY FOR WORKFORCE
Oct. 18, 2002 – Thirty-nine trainees will receive certificates of completion from the University of the Virgin Islands for successfully meeting the requirements of the hospitality and information technology training program offered by the Workforce and Economic Development Institute.
The three-month program officially ends with closing ceremonies from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 25 at the Sports and Fitness Center on the St. Thomas campus and from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Student Center on the St. Croix campus.
Eleven participants on St. Thomas and 28 participants on St. Croix will receive certificates of completion at the ceremonies. The program included one month of on-the-job internship training.
WEDI project director Mabel Maduro said the pilot training program met its training goals and participants are now prepared for entry-level hospitality and computer information technology jobs.
Maduro said the training has fostered partnerships with government and private business entities, noting that approximately 20 businesses in the territory provided internship positions for the trainees.
"The development and implementation of the training program was based on teamwork," Maduro said. "A solid foundation has been laid and will serve as the template for similar UVI workforce training initiatives."
WEDI is one area of the community and personal development unit at UVI that provides training for positions in the local workforce.
"This is the first of many programs that UVI will be offering to meet the current and future workforce and professional development needs of the territory" said Ilene Garner, UVI’s community and personal development director. "We will continue to build upon valued partnerships with government and businesses to develop programs that address those needs."
For more information on WEDI programs or the closing ceremonies, call Maduro at 714-7620.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
The three-month program officially ends with closing ceremonies from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 25 at the Sports and Fitness Center on the St. Thomas campus and from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Student Center on the St. Croix campus.
Eleven participants on St. Thomas and 28 participants on St. Croix will receive certificates of completion at the ceremonies. The program included one month of on-the-job internship training.
WEDI project director Mabel Maduro said the pilot training program met its training goals and participants are now prepared for entry-level hospitality and computer information technology jobs.
Maduro said the training has fostered partnerships with government and private business entities, noting that approximately 20 businesses in the territory provided internship positions for the trainees.
"The development and implementation of the training program was based on teamwork," Maduro said. "A solid foundation has been laid and will serve as the template for similar UVI workforce training initiatives."
WEDI is one area of the community and personal development unit at UVI that provides training for positions in the local workforce.
"This is the first of many programs that UVI will be offering to meet the current and future workforce and professional development needs of the territory" said Ilene Garner, UVI’s community and personal development director. "We will continue to build upon valued partnerships with government and businesses to develop programs that address those needs."
For more information on WEDI programs or the closing ceremonies, call Maduro at 714-7620.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
MEDIATION EFFORTS FAIL; PICKETING TO RESUME
Oct. 17, 2002 – Negotiations between the United Steelworkers and Innovative Telephone hit a wall Thursday when company officials refused to back down on their earlier final offer, bringing to a halt two days of talks with federal mediators.
A leader of the striking workers, now into the third week of their job action, said they would be back on the picket lines Friday.
And Attorney General Iver Stridiron said the strike could go on indefinitely, and the local government does not have the authority to intervene.
"The union still demands that the company move from its final offer in order to resolve the current economic strike," Innovative Telephone's chief executive officer, Samuel Ebbesen, said in a release. "Unfortunately, the company has already offered a fair and reasonable final offer. That offer is still available for the union to accept. The company has no intention to move from its final offer."
Steelworkers representative Randolph Allen said the stalemate signifies an ulterior motive on Innovative's part. "They are definitely negotiating in bad faith; they had no intention of reaching an agreement," he said. "They've gotten some other motive — they're probably trying to bust up the union."
Innovative's final offer, which was rejected by the union membership on Oct. 1, included the choice of wage increases of 10 percent over three years and an increase in pension benefits of 3.7 percent, or wage increases of 6 percent over three years and an increase in pension benefits of 7.41 percent.
During Wednesday and Thursday's talks, Allen said, the Steelworkers said they would prefer to take no wage increases over the next three years if the company would put the entire 10 percent that would have gone toward pay hikes into the pension fund.
"We asked them to put it into the pension, but they have a problem with funding our pension," Allen said.
The union's offer did not constitute a move toward resolution, according to Ebbesen. "Although the union will proclaim that they modified their proposal during mediation and the company did not," he said, "movement from one unacceptable proposal to another unacceptable proposal is really no movement at all."
Ebbesen added, "We did not make a pretend final offer at the end of negotiations so we could add to it during mediation. From the time our final offer was presented to the Steelworkers, it was explained that this was our final offer."
Pension fund payments questioned
In a radio interview Thursday after talks broke down, St. Croix Steelworkers representative Frederick Joseph said that Innovative has not made a single payment to its pension plan fund since 1998 — a claim Ebbesen called "incorrect and irresponsible."
"We are disappointed that Mr. Joseph would make these statements," Ebbesen said. "We confirmed to him our appropriate funding of the plan several times during negotiations."
But Allen said the company would not show union members any actuarial figures outlining the details of the pension fund. "They're determined they're not moving their position. We're telling them we don't want a [wage] increase, and it wouldn't cost them more money. But they wouldn't want to touch our pension overall. Apparently there's something wrong with our pension, but we don't know what it is."
Union members also were incensed at a portion of Innovative's proposal that would double the deductible workers and their families would pay for health care and prescription drugs.
Despite the efforts of federal mediator Ken Kowalski and Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services commissioner Carlos Tatte, the 310 Innovative Telephone and Innovative Cable-TV workers will be back on picket lines Friday, Allen said.
"That guy [Kowalski] try to do what he can do," Allen said. "He couldn't make them move; he's just wasting his time. We'll be on the picket line until something comes up."
The strikers are into their third week without pay, but strike benefits will start next week, Allen said. "It's looking pretty bleak now, but a resolution will be made one day," he said.
The last time telephone employees went on strike was in 1977 when the business was called the Virgin Islands Telephone Corp., or Vitelco. That work stoppage spanned seven weeks, and Allen said union members are ready for a similar long haul if necessary.
Government has no authority to intervene
Stridiron said the Organic Act does not give Gov. Charles W. Turnbull the authority to step in and order the employees back to work, in contrast to the situation on the mainland West Coast, where President Bush recently ordered dock workers to return to their jobs during a "cooling-off" period.
The attorney general said he was disappointed the talks broke down. "Mediation has been successful in the Virgin Islands about 95 to 98 percent of the time," he said. "The government really does not have a role to play other than of the facilitator trying to get both sides together."
That role, Stridiron said, was taken by Labor Commissioner Cecil Benjamin in inviting the federal mediators to the territory. "Unfortunately, this is going to be played out between the company and its workers," he added.
"The governor would be relegated to the role, at some point I assume, of trying to see if he can mediate between the parties if professional mediators fail," Stridiron said.
Meanwhile, as far as Ebbesen is concerned, "The ball is in the union's court at this point."
Since the strike began on Oct. 2, vandalism to phone and cable lines has cut service to well over 5,000 customers. Innovative has hired outside help to make the repairs needed to restore service.
Stridiron and U.S. Attorney David Nissman issued a statement on Wednesday pointing out that tampering with the lines is a federal crime.
"We wanted to alert everyone in the community that we expect that sort of vandalism will cease," Stridiron said. "It has a devastating effect on the elderly and infirm. That is their lifeline to the police, ambulances and outside world as well. We cannot afford to have our telephone lines being sabotaged."
Stridiron said neither his office nor that of the U.S. Attorney has taken a position in the labor-management dispute. He said anyone caught committing such sabotage will be prosecuted, and that the offense carries a prison penalty upwards of five years.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
A leader of the striking workers, now into the third week of their job action, said they would be back on the picket lines Friday.
And Attorney General Iver Stridiron said the strike could go on indefinitely, and the local government does not have the authority to intervene.
"The union still demands that the company move from its final offer in order to resolve the current economic strike," Innovative Telephone's chief executive officer, Samuel Ebbesen, said in a release. "Unfortunately, the company has already offered a fair and reasonable final offer. That offer is still available for the union to accept. The company has no intention to move from its final offer."
Steelworkers representative Randolph Allen said the stalemate signifies an ulterior motive on Innovative's part. "They are definitely negotiating in bad faith; they had no intention of reaching an agreement," he said. "They've gotten some other motive — they're probably trying to bust up the union."
Innovative's final offer, which was rejected by the union membership on Oct. 1, included the choice of wage increases of 10 percent over three years and an increase in pension benefits of 3.7 percent, or wage increases of 6 percent over three years and an increase in pension benefits of 7.41 percent.
During Wednesday and Thursday's talks, Allen said, the Steelworkers said they would prefer to take no wage increases over the next three years if the company would put the entire 10 percent that would have gone toward pay hikes into the pension fund.
"We asked them to put it into the pension, but they have a problem with funding our pension," Allen said.
The union's offer did not constitute a move toward resolution, according to Ebbesen. "Although the union will proclaim that they modified their proposal during mediation and the company did not," he said, "movement from one unacceptable proposal to another unacceptable proposal is really no movement at all."
Ebbesen added, "We did not make a pretend final offer at the end of negotiations so we could add to it during mediation. From the time our final offer was presented to the Steelworkers, it was explained that this was our final offer."
Pension fund payments questioned
In a radio interview Thursday after talks broke down, St. Croix Steelworkers representative Frederick Joseph said that Innovative has not made a single payment to its pension plan fund since 1998 — a claim Ebbesen called "incorrect and irresponsible."
"We are disappointed that Mr. Joseph would make these statements," Ebbesen said. "We confirmed to him our appropriate funding of the plan several times during negotiations."
But Allen said the company would not show union members any actuarial figures outlining the details of the pension fund. "They're determined they're not moving their position. We're telling them we don't want a [wage] increase, and it wouldn't cost them more money. But they wouldn't want to touch our pension overall. Apparently there's something wrong with our pension, but we don't know what it is."
Union members also were incensed at a portion of Innovative's proposal that would double the deductible workers and their families would pay for health care and prescription drugs.
Despite the efforts of federal mediator Ken Kowalski and Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services commissioner Carlos Tatte, the 310 Innovative Telephone and Innovative Cable-TV workers will be back on picket lines Friday, Allen said.
"That guy [Kowalski] try to do what he can do," Allen said. "He couldn't make them move; he's just wasting his time. We'll be on the picket line until something comes up."
The strikers are into their third week without pay, but strike benefits will start next week, Allen said. "It's looking pretty bleak now, but a resolution will be made one day," he said.
The last time telephone employees went on strike was in 1977 when the business was called the Virgin Islands Telephone Corp., or Vitelco. That work stoppage spanned seven weeks, and Allen said union members are ready for a similar long haul if necessary.
Government has no authority to intervene
Stridiron said the Organic Act does not give Gov. Charles W. Turnbull the authority to step in and order the employees back to work, in contrast to the situation on the mainland West Coast, where President Bush recently ordered dock workers to return to their jobs during a "cooling-off" period.
The attorney general said he was disappointed the talks broke down. "Mediation has been successful in the Virgin Islands about 95 to 98 percent of the time," he said. "The government really does not have a role to play other than of the facilitator trying to get both sides together."
That role, Stridiron said, was taken by Labor Commissioner Cecil Benjamin in inviting the federal mediators to the territory. "Unfortunately, this is going to be played out between the company and its workers," he added.
"The governor would be relegated to the role, at some point I assume, of trying to see if he can mediate between the parties if professional mediators fail," Stridiron said.
Meanwhile, as far as Ebbesen is concerned, "The ball is in the union's court at this point."
Since the strike began on Oct. 2, vandalism to phone and cable lines has cut service to well over 5,000 customers. Innovative has hired outside help to make the repairs needed to restore service.
Stridiron and U.S. Attorney David Nissman issued a statement on Wednesday pointing out that tampering with the lines is a federal crime.
"We wanted to alert everyone in the community that we expect that sort of vandalism will cease," Stridiron said. "It has a devastating effect on the elderly and infirm. That is their lifeline to the police, ambulances and outside world as well. We cannot afford to have our telephone lines being sabotaged."
Stridiron said neither his office nor that of the U.S. Attorney has taken a position in the labor-management dispute. He said anyone caught committing such sabotage will be prosecuted, and that the offense carries a prison penalty upwards of five years.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
NUMBER SEEKING ABSENTEE BALLOTS 'SIGNIFICANT'
Oct. 18, 2002 – The count is on at the Board of Elections where a last-minute rush of absentee ballot applications made it into the hands of officials Thursday, the last day to file.
"We have a significant number of applications for absentee ballots," Supervisor of Elections John Abramson Jr. said. "Today was the last day. We had a good flurry around the time of the 5 p.m. deadline. We got 50 applications in the last 15 minutes."
Most of the 11th-hour arrivals were by fax, Abramson said, but there also were "quite a few people" who showed up at the door of the Board of Elections offices on St. Thomas and St. Croix.
Clerical personnel spent Thursday evening counting the applications. Final figures will be available after the process is completed sometime Friday, Abramson said.
Absentee ballots allow registered V.I. voters to cast their votes without appearing at their polling places — whether they are traveling on election day, stationed abroad in the military, away at school or in physical circumstances that will not allow them to get to the polls.
In past elections, absentee votes have played a significant role in a number of races, especially for seats in the Legislature. In each district, the top seven voter-getters win the Senate races. It has not been unusual for the seventh-place position — and in one case the fifth through seventh positions — to shift from the election-day tally once the count of absentee ballots was added 10 days after an election.
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"We have a significant number of applications for absentee ballots," Supervisor of Elections John Abramson Jr. said. "Today was the last day. We had a good flurry around the time of the 5 p.m. deadline. We got 50 applications in the last 15 minutes."
Most of the 11th-hour arrivals were by fax, Abramson said, but there also were "quite a few people" who showed up at the door of the Board of Elections offices on St. Thomas and St. Croix.
Clerical personnel spent Thursday evening counting the applications. Final figures will be available after the process is completed sometime Friday, Abramson said.
Absentee ballots allow registered V.I. voters to cast their votes without appearing at their polling places — whether they are traveling on election day, stationed abroad in the military, away at school or in physical circumstances that will not allow them to get to the polls.
In past elections, absentee votes have played a significant role in a number of races, especially for seats in the Legislature. In each district, the top seven voter-getters win the Senate races. It has not been unusual for the seventh-place position — and in one case the fifth through seventh positions — to shift from the election-day tally once the count of absentee ballots was added 10 days after an election.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
TURNBULL, DE JONGH CAMPS DUEL IN MASS MEDIA
Oct. 17, 2002 – In an escalation of the first contentious media clash between two of the leading candidates for governor, the chair of the political party led by Gov. Charles W. Turnbull lashed out Thursday afternoon at challenger John de Jongh Jr.
Newly re-elected Democratic State chair James O’Bryan Jr., who also is an aide to Turnbull, reacted in a press release to full-page advertisements placed in the territory's two print daily newspapers on Thursday by the de Jongh campaign.
Titled "The Truth about WICO," the ads featured a letter written by former Gov. Alexander A. Farrelly in which the late chief executive debunked what he called "untrue and malicious rumors" concerning de Jongh's role in the government's purchase of The West Indian Co. a decade ago.
The ads were in response to comments made by Turnbull in a radio address earlier this month questioning what the governor called de Jongh's departure from a position of importance "during the height of the critical negotiations surrounding the purchase" of the Danish company.
It was Turnbull's first such public accusation, and de Jongh's ad described it as a "fabrication" that the governor's "political operatives had been trying to peddle for some time."
O'Bryan, who like de Jongh served in the Farrelly administration, called the de Jongh ad "a desperate use of a very questionable letter signed by our late governor and national committeeman designed to pardon his duplicitous and self-serving actions relative to the sale of WICO." O’Bryan questioned the legitimacy of the former governor's signature and whether Farrelly had any part in writing it.
Farrelly named de Jongh Finance commissioner 1987 and executive assistant in 1990. In the latter position, de Jongh opened talks to explore the government's acquisition of the Danish company that had had a presence in the Virgin Islands since 1912.
O'Bryan served as Farrelly's press secretary from 1991 until Farrelly left office four years later.
In response to O'Bryan's attack, de Jongh, speaking to WVWI Radio late Thursday, brushed aside the Democratic leader's comments. He said he had kept Farrelly's letter, written last Jan. 16, private until Turnbull's on-the-record charge in a political broadcast two weeks ago. "I only released this letter because, for almost eight months, the governor's political operatives and some of his henchmen have had this at rumor level in the territory," de Jongh said. "I responded only when the governor had the words come out of his mouth in an Oct. 4 radio broadcast."
In the published letter, the former governor told de Jongh that "you have my permission to make such use of this letter as you see fit." In it, Farrelly bemoaned what he termed "the attempts by others to tarnish your [de Jongh's] role in my administration in a misguided effort to undermine your pursuit of elective office."
O'Bryan's statement concluded with the pledge that the "real truth of Mr. de Jongh's role in the WICO acquisition will be revealed, and the voting public will then have to make their decisions based on trust and character."
O'Bryan issued the statement in the name of all of the officers of the Democratic Party — himself, Elmo Adams, Julien Harley and Terence Joseph. Noting that all four are employed by the Turnbull administration in high-level capacities, de Jongh said, "There is not a disconnect between the administration and the campaign."
There is one viewpoint the two candidates have in common, de Jongh told WVWI: "I will agree that this campaign is about trust and character."
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Newly re-elected Democratic State chair James O’Bryan Jr., who also is an aide to Turnbull, reacted in a press release to full-page advertisements placed in the territory's two print daily newspapers on Thursday by the de Jongh campaign.
Titled "The Truth about WICO," the ads featured a letter written by former Gov. Alexander A. Farrelly in which the late chief executive debunked what he called "untrue and malicious rumors" concerning de Jongh's role in the government's purchase of The West Indian Co. a decade ago.
The ads were in response to comments made by Turnbull in a radio address earlier this month questioning what the governor called de Jongh's departure from a position of importance "during the height of the critical negotiations surrounding the purchase" of the Danish company.
It was Turnbull's first such public accusation, and de Jongh's ad described it as a "fabrication" that the governor's "political operatives had been trying to peddle for some time."
O'Bryan, who like de Jongh served in the Farrelly administration, called the de Jongh ad "a desperate use of a very questionable letter signed by our late governor and national committeeman designed to pardon his duplicitous and self-serving actions relative to the sale of WICO." O’Bryan questioned the legitimacy of the former governor's signature and whether Farrelly had any part in writing it.
Farrelly named de Jongh Finance commissioner 1987 and executive assistant in 1990. In the latter position, de Jongh opened talks to explore the government's acquisition of the Danish company that had had a presence in the Virgin Islands since 1912.
O'Bryan served as Farrelly's press secretary from 1991 until Farrelly left office four years later.
In response to O'Bryan's attack, de Jongh, speaking to WVWI Radio late Thursday, brushed aside the Democratic leader's comments. He said he had kept Farrelly's letter, written last Jan. 16, private until Turnbull's on-the-record charge in a political broadcast two weeks ago. "I only released this letter because, for almost eight months, the governor's political operatives and some of his henchmen have had this at rumor level in the territory," de Jongh said. "I responded only when the governor had the words come out of his mouth in an Oct. 4 radio broadcast."
In the published letter, the former governor told de Jongh that "you have my permission to make such use of this letter as you see fit." In it, Farrelly bemoaned what he termed "the attempts by others to tarnish your [de Jongh's] role in my administration in a misguided effort to undermine your pursuit of elective office."
O'Bryan's statement concluded with the pledge that the "real truth of Mr. de Jongh's role in the WICO acquisition will be revealed, and the voting public will then have to make their decisions based on trust and character."
O'Bryan issued the statement in the name of all of the officers of the Democratic Party — himself, Elmo Adams, Julien Harley and Terence Joseph. Noting that all four are employed by the Turnbull administration in high-level capacities, de Jongh said, "There is not a disconnect between the administration and the campaign."
There is one viewpoint the two candidates have in common, de Jongh told WVWI: "I will agree that this campaign is about trust and character."
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MEDIATION EFFORTS FAIL; PICKETING TO RESUME
Oct. 17, 2002 – Negotiations between the United Steelworkers and Innovative Telephone hit a wall Thursday when company officials refused to back down on their earlier final offer, bringing to a halt two days of talks with federal mediators.
A leader of the striking workers, now into the third week of their job action, said they would be back on the picket lines Friday.
And Attorney General Iver Stridiron said the strike could go on indefinitely, and the local government does not have the authority to intervene.
"The union still demands that the company move from its final offer in order to resolve the current economic strike," Innovative Telephone's chief executive officer, Samuel Ebbesen, said in a release. "Unfortunately, the company has already offered a fair and reasonable final offer. That offer is still available for the union to accept. The company has no intention to move from its final offer."
Steelworkers representative Randolph Allen said the stalemate signifies an ulterior motive on Innovative's part. "They are definitely negotiating in bad faith; they had no intention of reaching an agreement," he said. "They've gotten some other motive — they're probably trying to bust up the union."
Innovative's final offer, which was rejected by the union membership on Oct. 1, included the choice of wage increases of 10 percent over three years and an increase in pension benefits of 3.7 percent, or wage increases of 6 percent over three years and an increase in pension benefits of 7.41 percent.
During Wednesday and Thursday's talks, Allen said, the Steelworkers said they would prefer to take no wage increases over the next three years if the company would put the entire 10 percent that would have gone toward pay hikes into the pension fund.
"We asked them to put it into the pension, but they have a problem with funding our pension," Allen said.
The union's offer did not constitute a move toward resolution, according to Ebbesen. "Although the union will proclaim that they modified their proposal during mediation and the company did not," he said, "movement from one unacceptable proposal to another unacceptable proposal is really no movement at all."
Ebbesen added, "We did not make a pretend final offer at the end of negotiations so we could add to it during mediation. From the time our final offer was presented to the Steelworkers, it was explained that this was our final offer."
Pension fund payments questioned
In a radio interview Thursday after talks broke down, St. Croix Steelworkers representative Frederick Joseph said that Innovative has not made a single payment to its pension plan fund since 1998 — a claim Ebbesen called "incorrect and irresponsible."
"We are disappointed that Mr. Joseph would make these statements," Ebbesen said. "We confirmed to him our appropriate funding of the plan several times during negotiations."
But Allen said the company would not show union members any actuarial figures outlining the details of the pension fund. "They're determined they're not moving their position. We're telling them we don't want a [wage] increase, and it wouldn't cost them more money. But they wouldn't want to touch our pension overall. Apparently there's something wrong with our pension, but we don't know what it is."
Union members also were incensed at a portion of Innovative's proposal that would double the deductible workers and their families would pay for health care and prescription drugs.
Despite the efforts of federal mediator Ken Kowalski and Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services commissioner Carlos Tatte, the 310 Innovative Telephone and Innovative Cable-TV workers will be back on picket lines Friday, Allen said.
"That guy [Kowalski] try to do what he can do," Allen said. "He couldn't make them move; he's just wasting his time. We'll be on the picket line until something comes up."
The strikers are into their third week without pay, but strike benefits will start next week, Allen said. "It's looking pretty bleak now, but a resolution will be made one day," he said.
The last time telephone employees went on strike was in 1977 when the business was called the Virgin Islands Telephone Corp., or Vitelco. That work stoppage spanned seven weeks, and Allen said union members are ready for a similar long haul if necessary.
Government has no authority to intervene
Stridiron said the Organic Act does not give Gov. Charles W. Turnbull the authority to step in and order the employees back to work, in contrast to the situation on the mainland West Coast, where President Bush recently ordered dock workers to return to their jobs during a "cooling-off" period.
The attorney general said he was disappointed the talks broke down. "Mediation has been successful in the Virgin Islands about 95 to 98 percent of the time," he said. "The government really does not have a role to play other than of the facilitator trying to get both sides together."
That role, Stridiron said, was taken by Labor Commissioner Cecil Benjamin in inviting the federal mediators to the territory. "Unfortunately, this is going to be played out between the company and its workers," he added.
"The governor would be relegated to the role, at some point I assume, of trying to see if he can mediate between the parties if professional mediators fail," Stridiron said.
Meanwhile, as far as Ebbesen is concerned, "The ball is in the union's court at this point."
Since the strike began on Oct. 2, vandalism to phone and cable lines has cut service to well over 5,000 customers. Innovative has hired outside help to make the repairs needed to restore service.
Stridiron and U.S. Attorney David Nissman issued a statement on Wednesday pointing out that tampering with the lines is a federal crime.
"We wanted to alert everyone in the community that we expect that sort of vandalism will cease," Stridiron said. "It has a devastating effect on the elderly and infirm. That is their lifeline to the police, ambulances and outside world as well. We cannot afford to have our telephone lines being sabotaged."
Stridiron said neither his office nor that of the U.S. Attorney has taken a position in the labor-management dispute. He said anyone caught committing such sabotage will be prosecuted, and that the offense carries a prison penalty upwards of five years.
Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
A leader of the striking workers, now into the third week of their job action, said they would be back on the picket lines Friday.
And Attorney General Iver Stridiron said the strike could go on indefinitely, and the local government does not have the authority to intervene.
"The union still demands that the company move from its final offer in order to resolve the current economic strike," Innovative Telephone's chief executive officer, Samuel Ebbesen, said in a release. "Unfortunately, the company has already offered a fair and reasonable final offer. That offer is still available for the union to accept. The company has no intention to move from its final offer."
Steelworkers representative Randolph Allen said the stalemate signifies an ulterior motive on Innovative's part. "They are definitely negotiating in bad faith; they had no intention of reaching an agreement," he said. "They've gotten some other motive — they're probably trying to bust up the union."
Innovative's final offer, which was rejected by the union membership on Oct. 1, included the choice of wage increases of 10 percent over three years and an increase in pension benefits of 3.7 percent, or wage increases of 6 percent over three years and an increase in pension benefits of 7.41 percent.
During Wednesday and Thursday's talks, Allen said, the Steelworkers said they would prefer to take no wage increases over the next three years if the company would put the entire 10 percent that would have gone toward pay hikes into the pension fund.
"We asked them to put it into the pension, but they have a problem with funding our pension," Allen said.
The union's offer did not constitute a move toward resolution, according to Ebbesen. "Although the union will proclaim that they modified their proposal during mediation and the company did not," he said, "movement from one unacceptable proposal to another unacceptable proposal is really no movement at all."
Ebbesen added, "We did not make a pretend final offer at the end of negotiations so we could add to it during mediation. From the time our final offer was presented to the Steelworkers, it was explained that this was our final offer."
Pension fund payments questioned
In a radio interview Thursday after talks broke down, St. Croix Steelworkers representative Frederick Joseph said that Innovative has not made a single payment to its pension plan fund since 1998 — a claim Ebbesen called "incorrect and irresponsible."
"We are disappointed that Mr. Joseph would make these statements," Ebbesen said. "We confirmed to him our appropriate funding of the plan several times during negotiations."
But Allen said the company would not show union members any actuarial figures outlining the details of the pension fund. "They're determined they're not moving their position. We're telling them we don't want a [wage] increase, and it wouldn't cost them more money. But they wouldn't want to touch our pension overall. Apparently there's something wrong with our pension, but we don't know what it is."
Union members also were incensed at a portion of Innovative's proposal that would double the deductible workers and their families would pay for health care and prescription drugs.
Despite the efforts of federal mediator Ken Kowalski and Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services commissioner Carlos Tatte, the 310 Innovative Telephone and Innovative Cable-TV workers will be back on picket lines Friday, Allen said.
"That guy [Kowalski] try to do what he can do," Allen said. "He couldn't make them move; he's just wasting his time. We'll be on the picket line until something comes up."
The strikers are into their third week without pay, but strike benefits will start next week, Allen said. "It's looking pretty bleak now, but a resolution will be made one day," he said.
The last time telephone employees went on strike was in 1977 when the business was called the Virgin Islands Telephone Corp., or Vitelco. That work stoppage spanned seven weeks, and Allen said union members are ready for a similar long haul if necessary.
Government has no authority to intervene
Stridiron said the Organic Act does not give Gov. Charles W. Turnbull the authority to step in and order the employees back to work, in contrast to the situation on the mainland West Coast, where President Bush recently ordered dock workers to return to their jobs during a "cooling-off" period.
The attorney general said he was disappointed the talks broke down. "Mediation has been successful in the Virgin Islands about 95 to 98 percent of the time," he said. "The government really does not have a role to play other than of the facilitator trying to get both sides together."
That role, Stridiron said, was taken by Labor Commissioner Cecil Benjamin in inviting the federal mediators to the territory. "Unfortunately, this is going to be played out between the company and its workers," he added.
"The governor would be relegated to the role, at some point I assume, of trying to see if he can mediate between the parties if professional mediators fail," Stridiron said.
Meanwhile, as far as Ebbesen is concerned, "The ball is in the union's court at this point."
Since the strike began on Oct. 2, vandalism to phone and cable lines has cut service to well over 5,000 customers. Innovative has hired outside help to make the repairs needed to restore service.
Stridiron and U.S. Attorney David Nissman issued a statement on Wednesday pointing out that tampering with the lines is a federal crime.
"We wanted to alert everyone in the community that we expect that sort of vandalism will cease," Stridiron said. "It has a devastating effect on the elderly and infirm. That is their lifeline to the police, ambulances and outside world as well. We cannot afford to have our telephone lines being sabotaged."
Stridiron said neither his office nor that of the U.S. Attorney has taken a position in the labor-management dispute. He said anyone caught committing such sabotage will be prosecuted, and that the offense carries a prison penalty upwards of five years.
Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
