Union warns TSTT of protests over rise in medical plan costs

President of the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) Joseph Remy is warning management at Telecommunication Services of T&T (TSTT) of “a relentless protest action” against a unilateral decision to increase the cost of premiums in the medical plan. The CWU condemned what it believed was disrespect, betrayal and contempt by TSTT to its active employees and retirees in the Group Health Plan. Remy said an agreement was made in 2010 for a new plan but claimed TSTT’s management made adjustments to the premium structure without consulting the union. He said when the plan progressed and problems began to surface, the union called for a review to determine whether there was a need for any premium adjustments.

He claimed that subsequent to that, TSTT’s management realised that the deficit was over $1 million and engaged the union in discussions to find a resolution. He said the union informed the company that all deficits must be injected into the plan before any adjustments were made to the premiums but they refused. Remy said: “Employees had to endure, at sometimes, a waiting period of over six to eight months before they were reimbursed with their medical claims and it was worse for the retirees because they were now on fixed income and their claims were being held back because the company was saying that the plan was running into problems.” He was speaking at a press conference yesterday at the CWU Hall, Henry Street, Port-of-Spain.

CWU members also met for a “consciousness building seminar” hosted by the Education and Research Committee. He also said retirees should not be asked to pay health benefits until an agreement was reached. He said the company violated Article 27 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (Group Health Plan) and Article 1 (Recognition), which gave the union the sole right to be the bargaining agent for all workers regarding terms and conditions of employment. Remy said: “They went ahead and unilaterally increased the premiums for active employees without agreement by the union. “We have already initiated legal action against the company but we are signalling to TSTT’s management  that we are going to mobilise the retirees, we are going to mobilise the active employees, both senior and junior staff, and we are going to engage in a relentless protest action that is going to ensure that once and for all the company reverts that obnoxious and obscene decision, restore people’s premiums to what is was and engage the union in free and collective bargaining so we can arrive at a mutually acceptable and agreeable agreement for the benefits of everybody when it comes to the medical plan.”

The CWU president also singled out TSTT chairman Everald Snaggs. He said as a former Commissioner of Police who took an oath to eradicate crime in the country, Snaggs should “arrest” the perpetrators of the crime. He said it was a psychological crime on the workers. He said: “We are convinced that someone has to be held accountable for what they have done to active employees and retirees and we are not going to rest until this thing is resolved.” Contacted yesterday, Snaggs said it was the first time he was hearing about the claims and that such issues were for the chief executive officer or the vice-president of human resource. He said the TSTT board was not directly involved in its operations but rather governance.