Committees seek approval of nearly 1 MIL in funding from Senate Finance Committee

~~Adz:Left~~ ST. THOMAS, U.S.V.I. – SEVERAL Committees went before the Virgin Island Senate Finance Committee (SFC) earlier this week seeking approval for funding for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2009.

The Public Employees Relations Board (PERB) officials requested on Monday that the SFC fund their FY 2009 budget of $830,000 needed to further resolve employment disputes and provide training in labor issues.

A PERB member disclosed his board’s mission, saying that regardless of the outcome of a case, the PERB's process is all about helping the parties to resolve their labor issues. PERB members examine and hear labor disputes and have statutory authority to decide labor-related cases or direct mediation to begin.

The legal counsel for the PERB informed the SFC that for this fiscal year, of the 132 new cases filed in addition to cases brought forward, a total 105 have been resolved.

PERB’s funding request reflects a 7% increase compared to that of its current fiscal year budget with $565,915 for personnel and fringe benefits for PERB employees accounting for the majority of the funding.
Members of the SFC said would see how they could work with PERB to get them their money and cut down on some of their grievances.

Members of the V.I. Labor Management Committee (LMC) are also requesting approval of $165,000 in funding for Fiscal Year 2009, 60% of which will go toward the salaries and fringe benefits of the committee's three employees. The larger portions of the rest of the budget would reportedly go toward rent and professional services to provide training and workshops.

SFC members present at Monday’s hearing included Senators Carlton Dowe, Terrence Nelson, Ronald Russell, Juan Figueroa-Serville, James Weber III, Neville James and Liston Davis.