Unions to march against Govt today

Trade union members are expected to march through Port-of-Spain today in protest against what they say is Government’s refusal to settle outstanding wage negotiations. Claiming the People’s Partnership Government is intent on infringing workers’ right to a free and fair collective bargaining process, members of the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) are expected to assemble outside the Eric Williams Financial Complex, Port-of-Spain, from 9 am to demand all outstanding salary negotiations with Government be settled soon. Among the unions expected to take part is the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) which has threatened strike action at Petrotrin over the lack of variable pay, unfilled vacancies and the issue of a new contract to Bunkers Oil Trinidad and Tobago.  OWTU is expected to be joined by the Transport and Industrial Workers Union (TIWU) whose Public Transportation Service Corporation’s (PTSC) bus drivers took sickout action over stalled wage negotiations.  Also expected to take part are the Communication Workers Union (CWU), whose TSTT workers have been in a quarrel with the company with regard to their pension plan; Banking Insurance and General Workers Union (BIGWU), National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NUGFW), whose president general is Government Senator James Lambert, and the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA).

 

Also on the agenda are the privatisation of state companies, exploitation and victimisation of workers and abuse of power in the workplace. General secretary of JTUM, Ozzie Warwick, said the movement would not mitigate until outstanding negotiations for all unions were settled. He said workers’ problems had become so critical that all unions came on board. From the Financial Complex unionists would proceed up Henry Street, across Gordon Street, up Charlotte Street and around the Queen’s Park Savannah and Memorial Park. The procession would then go to Independence Square and Wrightson Road.  The workers would then return to the complex, where various trade union leaders would address them. Warwick said at that meeting, announcements would be made on how JTUM planned to deal with the non-settlement of negotiations. He said it was important for trade unions  to continue their struggle as it already had made significant inroads against Government’s neglect of the working class.