Dozens of workers sue port for CI$2.9M missing pay
(CNS): The Port Authority of the Cayman Islands is being sued for almost $2.9 million by 55 former and current workers who say the government-owned facility has shortchanged them on past leave, vacation and overtime in breach of the labour law. According to court documents filed last week and published on the public register yesterday, the claim goes back to 2007 and up to 2017. Despite their efforts to get the money the employees say is due to them, management has refused to make good on this missing pay claim.
The claim is based on the fact that the port staff in their various roles all worked 10-12 hour shifts with one-hour unpaid meal breaks, but leave was calculated on a nine-hour rather than an 11-hour day and they were underpaid for overtime. The more than two dozen heavy equipment and forklift drivers and operators, stevedores, mechanics, and admin staff argue that the authority has short-changed them for a decade in breach of their contracts.
When they learned of the issue in 2019, they attempted to secure what they say is around CI$500,000 for unpaid annual leave and around CI$2,400,000 for unpaid overtime. They asked management for the shortfall, but it has never been paid, and as a result, the workers are now taking legal action.
The lawsuit specifies that PACI currently owes the staff well over CI$2.8 million, and they are seeking this sum in total, as well as damages for the breach of contract and the costs for the legal action.
Represented by the local law firm Brady, the 55 port workers have outlined in the suit the missing pay for all of the workers, with some claiming to be owed more than $40,000 each.
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
Category: Government Administration, Politics
Kenneth Bryan is the Minister for Tourism AND PORTS! No wonder he is pushing so hard for a new cruise berthing pier. Any major public works project is an opportunity for shady politicians to get kickbacks from the construction. Don’t be fooled Caymanians! Vote “No” on Wednesday!
Why are they allowed to work 12 hr?
Forklift operators (as well as others) working overtime face increased risks due to fatigue, which can lead to slower reactions, reduced focus, and potentially more accidents involving collisions, tip-overs, or injuries.
Prolonged sitting, repetitive motions, and vibrations can lead to musculoskeletal disorders, including back pain, neck pain, and shoulder pain, which can be further aggravated by overtime.
prolonged exposure to high noise levels can increase the risk of hearing loss, especially with extended overtime.
How much is Clement owed?
The most annoying thing I saw on Earth Day cleanup with a lovely shirts by the sponsors, but the government has now changed? Yes, it’s no longer the ministry of tourism? It’s now the ministry of tourism & ports…..
when did the ministry decide that Tourism is now in charge of all ports? Sounds a little bit of “transportation” not Tourism – to me but nope looks like Kenny just took over and changed the name of an entire ministry without any of us knowing it?
CNS: In the first PACT Cabinet KB was Minister of Tourism and Transport. In March 2023, Chris Saunders resigned from PACT. In the Cabinet reshuffle that followed, Bryan lost the Transport portfolio and acquired Ports, becoming the Minister for Tourism and Ports. You can see the complete list of portfolios in the CNS Library here.
Following the March 2023 reshuffle, Transport went to Jay Ebanks, who introduced the Public Transport Bill last December.
If you knew the facts …
You can probably guess at rotten management when they are caught throwing themselves a $50k Christmas party!
Counter sue to recover what was spent on those lavish parties.
Had money for those expensive Christmas parties tho.
Government entity after entity with accounting issues yet their annual reports keep going to parliament with a “clean opinion”. How is it that neither Jefferson nor anyone from his team ever raises a 🚩 Is this how government’s accountants and auditors work?! During each PAC, all he does is come up with 🤬 excuses. IMO, the time has come for Kenneth to step down.
Board and chairman comprise Mac and Saunders UDP picks managed by Kenneth..
There’s 200 plus votes at the port don’t forget.
Another run away Statutory Authority run by a private sector board.
Shut these Authorities down and return them to the civil service.
I wondered about that board when I watched the PAC session (YouTube CIGTV) earlier this year. They kept circling back to PACI’s time-keeping (or questionable method thereof) and the board chairman kept saying he would address the matter. To me, he sounded conciliatory but clueless.
This is not surprising. For years, one of the most opaque Ministries in the Cayman Islands, and darling hidey-hole of the most corrupt in politics. Fire the Board.
Labor minister Seymour says this is fake news, he will get to the bottom of it.
‘bottom’ being the operative word!
The Jamaican takeover will not be televised.
Well done these people for trying to hold the system to account.
Bush and Hew along with their cronies have already strongly integrated the Jamaican influence into our government. The whole island has turned into little Kingston.
Saunders and Dumbdum in charge of Jamaicans in BTE and BTW. That’s where Saunders’ independence movement will be based.
Please list all the chairpersons, managing directors and HR Directors over this period that caused this to go on for so long.
To my understanding, a major player is Joseph Woods, who has now become one of the main grifters for ACT cruise campaigning.
I was just about to say this. Joey woods was the port authority director and now he’s publicly calling for the cruise berthing with ACT.
VOTE NO!
Joey Woods was the best port director who tried to run the port like a business. He resigned because he was not supported by those who were happy to run it like a charity.
Was it “successful” on the books because he wouldn’t pay employees what they deserved, and therefore the numbers looked better than they should have? I don’t define that as success, and I don’t think we need anyone running our port “like a business” when that is what it equates to. Paying our people what they earned is not “charity.”
That’s a fair question, but it’s important to understand the facts. This issue isn’t new—it’s been ongoing and even went quiet for a while. In fact, the pattern has been to revive it whenever a change in government seems likely. You should ask Kenneth why he hasn’t followed through on the promises he made to them before winning his seat in the last election. And don’t be swayed by his usual line about staying out of the day-to-day operations of the authorities under his portfolio—plenty of people know better.
This situation was originally inherited by Mr. Woods from the tenure of Mr. Paul Hurlston, who has since returned to the Port. Resolving this matter will be complex, which may explain the prolonged legal proceedings.
More rot that needs to be thrown out, well done workers!
You wouldn’t be saying that if they worked for you.
Interesting post…
Oh dee dums, upset your apple cart
They work for you?
They work for all of us who have to pay for them, their parties and fireworks and massively increased stipends.
Good for them. Stand up for yourselves.