The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE National Insurance Board has hired an “inordinate number of persons” even while telling staff that the difficult fiscal environment will limit what it can agree to during industrial agreement negotiations, according to Public Managers Union president Cassandra Lewis.

The PMU, which represents NIB employees, has been turning up the pressure on the government to finalise its industrial agreement, which expired two years ago.

 Claims that some NIB employees have recently been on a sick-out could not be verified. Myles Laroda, the minister of state responsible for NIB, did not respond to requests for comment up to press time.

 In a statement, Ms Lewis said: “The union has endeavoured over the many months (27) of the contract negotiations to negotiate in an atmosphere of mutual respect and cooperation. “Unfortunately, it appears that the board does not want the talks to be concluded despite the Union’s willingness to do so. The negotiations are in the ending stage and the union is determined to work towards an amicable conclusion.

 “Going into and during negotiations, the Public Managers Union has always kept in focus the financial status of the board and the country’s economic climate. On the advice of our financial team (financial analyst, economist and actuary), we have been intentional in keeping our financial expectation to a minimum.

 “The board on the one hand wants to impose on its staff financial heavy handedness with its left hand and with its right hand and heads turned engaged and re-engaged an inordinate number of persons all in the higher echelon with no regard to the financial status of our institution. We are simply asking the board to be fair in its dealings with the Public Managers Union and the staff at the board.”

 The PMU also complained that the constantly changing executive team has caused instability that stifles NIB’s growth and that NIB’s facilities have been unkept.

 “The V-3 system has proven to be a nightmare to our operational standards and a financial burden to the board,” Ms Lewis said. “The board’s governance guidelines are within the National Insurance Act and Regulations. Two such sections of grave importance and concerns are: Section 48. 1 & 2 - review of operation of Act. The last actuarial report was conducted in 2006 some 14 years ago, unacceptable.

 “Section 47. 1 & 2 - report and accounts to be submitted to the minister yet the last annual report was 2016. We must all be held to the same standard and do the right things.”

 In a statement issued last month, NIB said it appreciates the employees’ decision to agitate for a new agreement and said the agency looks forward to the date when a new document will be signed.