POND ISLAND–TelEm Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kendall Dupersoy says the company is reviewing a proposal from the St. Maarten Communications Union (SMCU) to reopen the St. Maarten Cable TV office in Madame Estate as a TelEm branch office pending the completion of the manpower assessment at the company.
The proposal is for Cable TV’s technical division and customer service to continue to service customers at the reopened office.
SMCU President Ludson Evers made the proposal during a meeting with Dupersoy on Wednesday. A number of Cable TV workers assembled outside the TelEm main office on Pond Island on Wednesday morning hoping to get an audience with Dupersoy. The workers wanted answers on the closure of the St. Maarten Cable TV office on Tuesday when they turned up to work and could not access the building.
While the Cable TV workers were at the TelEm office, Dupersoy showed up for work and decided to meet with the union. The meeting lasted for almost an hour, during which time the proposal was made. It was later submitted in writing.
“I promised that I would evaluate the proposal to see if there is anything that would jeopardise or can hamper our position moving forward,” Dupersoy said, noting that he had made it clear that there is no way TelEm can consider hiring all of the workers, as this would bankrupt the TelEm Group. He said also that restructuring would be required in the near future for the survivability of the company.
He said that while the union contends that having TelEm workers provide service that Cable TV workers provided is additional service, it is not, as the TelEm Group can provide the service on the same infrastructure and it is actually less work administratively.
Up to last evening, Dupersoy had indicated to the union that its proposal was still under review. “There would be no guarantees, just [for the Cable TV workers to – Ed.] service the public and once the manpower assessment is done then we can sit and move forward,” Dupersoy said.
He is expected to have a conference call with his legal advisors today on the matter and is expected to give the union an answer as soon as possible.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/72413-telem-reviewing-smcu-proposal-to-reopen-cable-tv-as-branch-office
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