Leader of the Opposition Dr Keith Rowley says Government should remove the five per cent wage cap it has put on new collective agreements with trade unions.He said if that was not done there would be a head-on collision with the labour movement, which has threatened to impose a national strike on a date yet to be announced.Rowley said so during a news conference at his Charles Street, Port-of-Spain, office yesterday.
Labour leaders have said they would not be accepting the five per cent limit on demands for increased wages.Rowley said any head-on collision between the Government and the labour movement would only hurt the national economy.He said the Government seemed to be inviting the industrial action. Rowley said apart from the removal of the five per cent cap, the Government must:
Offer realistic proposals, including production incentives;
negotiate and not dictate; and,
establish mechanisms for regular and meaningful discussions with the labour movement.
He said claims by an unnamed trade unionist that the PNM had no moral authority to comment on the matter, Rowley said it should not be taken seriously as the PNM was responsible for many benefits to the labour movement over the past several years. He claimed Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal provoked workers when he said they should accept the five per cent and "wine to the side".Rowley said the Government mishandled the situation and provoked the workers.He said the Government had betrayed the workers. "We are agreeing with the unions that they have been betrayed," he added.