Outspoken economist Dr Roger Hosein has provoked the ire of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions and NGOs (Fitun) with his call to Government to take a cue from the National Gas Company and institute a wage freeze across the public and private sectors.
In a strongly worded media statement yesterday, Fitun president Joseph Remy described Hosein's recommendation as a "broad scale attack on the livelihood of workers" which could prejudice discussions between the Government, business and labour.
"We are convinced, based on our research, that the wage differential between executive pay and ordinary workers' pay has mushroomed over the years and has reached obscene proportions. In addition, the purchasing power of the ordinary worker dollar has shrunk to poverty level proportions," he said.
Fitun is demanding that Hosein apologise to all workers in the country and refrain from "making such aggravated and vexatious pronouncements."