PUC workers to get R5,800 bonus after sit-in protest |18 December 2020

The PUC workers during their sit-in (Photo: Louis Toussaint)

Staff of Public Utilities Corporation will all be paid a bonus at a flat rate of R5,800 it was decided yesterday after some of them had gone on a brief strike upon learning of a reduction in their year-end bonus.

Some 200 Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) staff had gathered outside the utility company’s human resources office at Maison Malavois on Bois de Rose Avenue early yesterday morning to protest against the reduction in their yearly bonuses which were to be paid based on appraisal rating and they refused to go to their usual jobs until a satisfactory agreement was found.

The group of workers voiced out their discontent after they had learned about the way their bonuses were to be calculated.

Vice-President Ahmed Afif went on the scene to talk to the workers and listen to their concerns.

PUC chief executive Philippe Morin also talked to the workers before together with VP Afif, representatives of the workers, members of the board of directors proceeded for a half hour closed door discussion to try and find a solution and to resolve the bonus saga.

“At the end of the month, the workers will each take home a fixed sum of R5,800,” VP Afif declared after the discussion .

“We have reached what we think is a solution and it is a compromise. The compromise is as follows: There is a sum of money available which was going to be used to pay for the bonus. PUC had proposed a system which most of you were not satisfied with, as some would have earned less and others more. In principle, we have agreed those that would have earned more, will sacrifice and come down on a reasonable sum, and those who earn less will now earn more. We will use the money already budgeted. The sum will be divided equally and all staff will get R5,800," explained VP Afif to the workers.

He added that this is a special arrangement which will stand for this year only and next year, PUC will go back to its normal procedures where the bonus is concerned.

After their almost three-hour sit-in, the workers welcomed the decision and cheered with joy, satisfied with the end result of their protest. Feeling proud of their accomplishment, they all resumed their respective duties.

Speaking to journalists, Barry Joubert said: "The positive thing is that we will all be getting the same bonus across the board, and it is not a case of someone earning R50,000 and others earning R5,000. We are fairly satisfied and the group has agreed to stop striking and go back to work.”

Due to Covid-19, the economic situation has been tough for most companies and the same thing can also be said about PUC and this has an impact on the bonuses the staff members were to receive.

It was on December 15, 2020 that the PUC board of directors announced a reduction of 50% in the staff bonuses.

“PUC makes most of its profit by providing electricity to the tourism sector, and due to the big decline in tourist arrivals due to Covid-19 we’re finding it much harder to generate as much profit as we did during the previous years,” said Mr Morin.

“The board and management of the PUC were finding it tougher and tougher to generate income, and because of this reduction in income, we could not afford to pay our workers as much as we would like to. So the board of directors came up with the solution to pay the workers based on their appraisal rating multiplied by a maximum of 50% of their salaries,” explained Mr Morin.

But staff were not happy with this decision and they vented their discontent by organising the sit-in.

“We worked during the lockdown to keep the electricity running, we work hard to satisfy the needs of our customers and we deserve to get paid a fair amount of money as compensation for our efforts. Some of us are getting only R1,500 as bonuses, while others are getting paid much higher. It’s not fair. And we demand a higher pay,” one frustrated employee voiced out.

“The amount of money in our pockets didn’t improve; it was the distribution of the money that improved. We changed how much money we will distribute evenly to our 1,200 workers, and the agreed sum was R5,800. So we stuck with that, and the workers were satisfied with this amount,” said Mr Morin.

Seychelles Federation of Workers Union secretary general Antoine Robinson said “this protest could have been avoided if the board had properly communicated with the employees”.

“This entire situation could have been solved easily if the board had discussed its decision with the employees and got their opinion about the bonus reduction. Employers need to properly represent their employees, and need to listen to their opinions and concerns to avoid future problems like this from happening again,” said Mr Robinson.

Joshua Marie