Employees at DCP Successors Ltd complain of unfair treatment and harsh work conditions, but the company leadership refuted their claims without presenting the true realities at the beleaguered organization. However, an assessment of the company premises and the situation under which workers carry out their duties indicate that there is little or nothing to be desired at the company.
According to workers who spoke on strict conditions of anonymity out of fear of discrimination, they alleged that the company currently has not health plans and rehires retired staff for whatever unknown motives. The employees also alleged that since Hurricane Maria when they all agreed to a 50% pay cut, they have not had their salaries normalized even though they company is financially bouyant and industrially progressive.
DCP Successors was acquired from Colgate Palmolive in May 2017 and it got hit by Hurricane Maria that same year. It had earlier been devastated by Tropical Storm Erica in 2015 and was undergoing recovery under a new management when it got hit again by Maria. This made the workers to agree to a 50% salary reduction to enable the company regain its feet properly; but three years down the lane, the salary of workers have not been normalized even though the company is doing well, forcing workers to grapple with poor standards of life.
“The salary is small, we have bills and loans to be paid, school books, children to feed and to send to school…this is not fair to us,” the workers lamented. “Added to that, management has rehired several of its retired staff who are getting a pension and hefty salaries. It’s a dog eat dog situation at the company where you have to look out for yourself, backbiting, carry go and carry come tales to management. We are suffering and need help.”
General Manager Damien Sorhaindo disagreed with the workers, saying he maintains an open door policy and any disgruntled workers can approach him or his managers to have any work issues resolved.
“Nothing that was stated is factual, but if you want to run a story you can do so,” Sorhaindo stated. “We’re not about to comment on any anonymous grievances made by disgruntled former employees or employees. We, as management have an open door policy and I always invite staff to come to me or any of the managers if they have any issues.”
There are 37 employees at the company and they do not have a workers union. General Secretary of the Waterfront and Allied Workers Union (WAWU), Kertist Augustus, said his union used to represent employees at the company before the devastation of the hurricanes, but that his men would try to get the workers officially represented in no distant time.
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