We need the Duke

THE EDITOR: The Public Services Association (PSA) has a president that continues to challenge the status quo for us and continues to make the necessary unorthodox moves. Watson Duke is one of the most controversial figures in our country but fellow members of the PSA, this is exactly what we need to get the attention of those in authority.

Many people have attempted to tarnish the reputation of public servants. Some say we are lazy and inefficient without spending a day in our shoes. Left up to the public, they might disregard all our hard work and prefer that we never get a salary increase and probably fire all of us and hire new workers.

I have been in the public service for seventeen years of my life and only became permanent four years ago when Duke fought the “establishment” as he calls it, for us to become permanent. There are thousands of public servants who can share similar stories about our president.

Although I am still a junior staff, it still feels good to be permanent. We all know the main concern among most public servants at this time is job security. The PSA has to keep on fighting, for workers to get a little something.

Duke is a true leader who understands the issues public servants face on a daily basis, he has come through for us time and time again. Without Duke, we would still be getting a “buy out’ (more like a sell out) around this Christmas time of a couple hundred dollars instead of the gratuity that many are entitled to receive.

The only person I want sitting on the other side of the negotiating table with the establishment to protect our jobs and improve our conditions is a warrior like Watson Duke.

Tiffany Thomas, Morvant

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"We need the Duke"

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