Employees at the Government Printery in Antigua have intensified their industrial action, entering a second consecutive day of sit-in demonstrations to protest against severely compromised workplace conditions they describe as both unhygienic and hazardous. The protest emerges amidst ongoing retrofitting operations that have forced staff to work reduced half-day shifts.
A primary grievance cited by the workforce involves a significant pigeon infestation within the facility’s roofing structure. According to staff reports, the birds have nested overhead, resulting in widespread contamination of workstations, official documents, and critical printing machinery with droppings. Employees assert that this situation has created an intolerable and potentially health-threatening environment, directly motivating their decision to initiate organized protest actions.
In response to the escalating situation, high-level administrative discussions have been initiated. The Permanent Secretary of the department has engaged in talks with the Printery’s management and officials from the Public Works Department to formulate a swift resolution. Observations confirmed by Antigua.news on Tuesday indicated that personnel from the Public Works Department were already on-site conducting emergency repairs. These efforts form part of a coordinated attempt to mitigate the sanitation issues, address the employees’ concerns, and facilitate a return to standard operational procedures at the government facility.