Over 40 protesters, representing about ten trade unions under the umbrella body of the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM), yesterday called for the removal of the Registration, Recognition and Certification Board chairman Wayne Smart.The unionists held their placard demonstration outside the Industrial Court, St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain, yesterday afternoon.They also called for a thorough review and overhaul of the slow recognition process for unions' applications before the board to represent workers.
President general of the Oilfields Workers' Trade Union (OWTU) Ancel Roget protested with fellow union members, singing "chairman Smart must go away" repeatedly for about 45 minutes.In an interview, Roget said the JTUM was concerned about the board's operational problems, which translated into workers being denied proper representation by unions.
"The board is a law unto itself and the process itself is onerous and complicated and therefore it denies workers the right to be recognised by specific trade unions of their choosing," he said, standing on the front steps of the Industrial Court.Workers are entitled under law to join trade unions of their choice and the board is responsible for processing applications to certify that relationship. However, Roget explained the board took years to process applications causing workers with issues to suffer, since they would remain unrepresented.
Roget said he was singling out Smart in particular, calling for his immediate removal.He said the JTUM had sent two letters to the board about the delay in the process but were ignored by Smart whom he described as "dismissive" and a "runaway chairman."He added: "We wrote to the chairman requesting this meeting and he has continuously disregarded the call.
"You are talking about the Joint Trade Union Movement who represents workers in this country and he has consistently disregarded the call to meet and to discuss and to identify those problems and to have them resolved."Nirvan Maharaj, president of the All Trinidad General Workers' Trade Union (ATGWTU), who also marched yesterday, said perhaps the reason Smart continued to ignore the unions was because he had become "a bit too comfortable.
"Sometimes when you are in positions of authority you sometimes forget those who are below you and those who depend on you. And what the chairman does not understand is that the longer he takes to issue a certificate, there are more and more workers outside there who are suffering," he added. Smart could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Roget stressed it was a problem faced by trade unions across the board as they had continually been thwarted in their application process to represent workers who needed it.The process was so onerous and lengthy, Roget said, that by the time recognition was certified, the workers might no longer be at the company or the company no longer existed.
About the board
The board is authorised by the Industrial Relations Act to determine whether an application made by a union to represent a group of workers is accepted or rejected.It must investigate whether the claim represents more than 51 per cent of the workforce, and whether they have been members of the union for at least eight weeks since the claim was made.
While the Industrial Relations Act does not specify a timeframe for the application process, it says: "The board shall expeditiously determine all applications for certification brought before it."