Industrial action by scores of correctional officers has started to take a toll on the island's corrections system.

RJR News understands that some correctional officers have been calling in sick.

The officers, who are attached to penal facilities, are protesting the non-payment of allowances due to them under MoU Three.

The University and Allied Workers Union which represents some of the officers says the workers started calling in early Monday morning.

What has happened since morning is that we have received reports that correctional officers at some of the institutions have reported sick as of this morning. There are some officers who are still on the job based on the nature of the job, said Aston Johnson, negotiating officer at the UAWU.

Mr. Johnson said the warders decided to take action after the Government reneged on a promise to pay the outstanding allowances during the first quarter of the fiscal year.

He is also taking issue with a statement by State Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Senator Arthur Williams that provisions have been made to pay them in September.

We have never ever been told that we are going to receive any payment for September. We have received a fax on Friday from the Ministry of Finance that we would receive payment for the allowance outstanding to us next financial year. So we have never received that, who received that was the senior uniformed officers, but not the other officers, he said.

Meanwhile, a meeting is scheduled for the Ministry of Labour at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon to discuss the issue.