Local union praises OCB
In a recent blog post, a local chapter of the American Federation of Government Employees congratulated the management at the Office of Cuba Broadcasting for its guidance and direction during the impending arrival of Hurricane Matthew. OCB is located in Miami and was expected to be in the path of the storm. The following post appeared on the AFGE Local 1812 website.
HUZZAHS ON HANDLING A HURRICANE
AFGE Local 1812 applauds the management at Radio/TV Marti for their handling of the impending arrival of Hurricane Matthew off the coast of Florida and for making the safety and wellbeing of its employees a significant part of its overall plan for handling the weather emergency.
On Wednesday, as Matthew was battering Jamaica and Haiti and swirling in the Atlantic off the U.S. southern coast, the Director of the Martis, Maria Gonzalez, met with senior staff and developed a strategy on how to handle the situation. She also addressed the employees and explained the various scenarios developing, depending on the possibilities of the storm’s direction.
On Thursday, Director Gonzalez and all her managers reported to work and pitched in to direct employees to ensure that all the essential work was completed as soon as possible. Throughout the day on Thursday, the Director was responsive to AFGE Local 1812 representatives, answering union concerns promptly and expeditiously.
Also on Thursday, non-emergency employees were granted administrative leave. It was decided that all emergency employees would only have to stay until all their essential work was completed and then would be granted administrative leave in order to get home in time to be with their families and to prepare their homes for the hurricane. Most, if not all, were granted administrative leave by 2:00pm that day.
Moreover, an emergency contact phone number for the employees was set up so employees could call in for updates. Employees were instructed to check the emergency number to see when they should report back to work.
Thankfully, Hurricane Matthew did not wreak much havoc in Miami and its environs (unlike our fellow employees in Greenville, N.C.). But Radio/TV Marti was prepared for the threat and the worst case scenario and we appreciate that.
Kudos.