00:00The Public Transport Service Corporation is being faced with allegations of wrongful termination
00:05as a worker who served 16 years has been terminated.
00:09Janelle Hope has the details.
00:24In a demonstration of camaraderie today,
00:27members of the Transport Workers' Trade Union came out to protest
00:32what they claimed to be the wrongful termination of one of its members.
00:36Sean Roberts, President General of the Transport Workers' Trade Union,
00:40claims that the worker who served 16 years and is a father of six
00:44was suspended based on accusations regarding theft of oil.
00:48However, Roberts stated that the suspension was done without merit as no evidence was presented.
00:54The worker was suspended for alleged pilfering of oil, right?
01:01But the worker was never caught with no oil, right?
01:05He was suspended and only suspension in the middle year,
01:08because he was suspended for a year.
01:11July, he had a disciplinary hearing where no oil wasn't presented as evidence.
01:16And today, right, they'll present the worker with a termination letter
01:21saying that he was fired for theft and oil without any kind of evidence.
01:25According to Roberts, the suspension and eventual termination of the worker
01:29was not done in accordance with due process.
01:32He cites issues with the Public Transportation Service Corporation's current leadership
01:37under General Manager Patrick Gomez as being the catalyst for today's unrest.
01:41Because this man, Mr. Gomez, the workers have been ponging, ponging on the door
01:46for this man to leave for me for the longest while.
01:49So it's not the first complaint?
01:50No, come on.
01:51Actually, the minister, the Honorable Minister, Zaku,
01:55he organized a meeting at the Ministry of Transport in the hall
01:59where all workers came, right, and shared their views and the issues
02:04and the grievances with the minister, right?
02:07And to know, up to now, to no avail, this man is still here
02:10and it looks like he's at the act up again.
02:13Roberts mentioned that there were several other issues faced by transport workers.
02:17But when asked to elaborate, he had this to say.
02:20I've got to get that in writing. It's too much.
02:24TV6 reached out to Gomez for comment but to no avail.
02:27Upon further attempts to communicate with PTSC Corporate Communications,
02:31TV6 was advised to await an official media release.
02:34According to the release, the PTSC claims a determination was conducted
02:39in accordance with industrial relations best practice
02:42and with the advice of legal counsel.
02:44The corporation stated it is, quote,
02:47satisfied that all appropriate procedures were duly followed, end quote,
02:52and remains firm in their position despite disagreement from the union.
02:56Janelle Hope, TV6 News.
02:58Let's try.
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