The State will have to pay out $1.9 billion in arrears to public servants within the next few months, after the Public Services Association (PSA) yesterday signed a collective bargaining agreement for a 14 per cent salary increase, including a hike in other allowances.
The State will additionally pay $325 million in recurrent expenditure to cover the salary increases.
This was revealed by Minister in the Ministry of Finance Rudranath Indarsingh yesterday as he spoke to public servants at the signing of the agreement at the Cascadia Hotel, St. Ann's.
"Today, you are the beneficiary of a 14 per cent increase with COLA after 14 meetings which will cost the Government of T&T over a billion in arrears and 325 million in terms of per annum of recurrent expenditure," he said.
PSA president Watson Duke said while public servants were glad to have the agreement signed, it was just another step towards them receiving market rates.
He said he expected public servants to receive salary adjustments and arrears within a few months.
"We expect new salaries and backpay to be within three months' time. We, however, would try to get it done before that because we understand people have need for this money and it is quite urgent and it should not be delayed."
He said the PSA expected public officers to enjoy terms of employment and conditions of service akin to that of serving a king, so that they in turn could provide first-class service to the public.
"We expect public officers to be more productive and to live by the words of Jesus, 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you.' So as they render excellent service they would also expect excellent service," he said.
"One of the things we sometimes forget is that we too are members of the public and so when we serve we expect the same service back and it will be the dawn of a new day, it would be a revolutionary change. This money would act as an incentive."
Duke said in the next few months the PSA expected to conclude a job evaluation exercise which would mean contemporary salaries in line with contemporary jobs.
Getting it right
A story on page A14 of yesterday's paper incorrectly attributed comment on three possible dates for this year's general election to University of the West Indies lecturer Dr Maukesh Basdeo. The information was not in fact given by Basdeo. We apologise to Basdeo for the error.
A story on Page A9 of yesterday's paper incorrectly stated that HDC's corporate communications manager Maurisa Findlay said 669 houses will be given out today at Carlsen Field in central Trinidad. The HDC is in fact giving out 100 houses every week.
Our apologies for the error.
A story on page A5 of yesterday's paper incorrectly reported that Cassandra Patrovani-Sylvester was one of the auditors who recently completed an NGC audit. She in fact was NGC's former Vice President, Human and Corporate Relations.
Long process?
In addressing the public servants on hand, Chief Personnel Officer Stephanie Lewis explained the process for negotiations.
"It takes a lot of resources, long nights, because whatever happens in each meeting, usually a lot of follow-up and a lot of research has to be done because you can't come to the negotiations table unprepared.
"The PSA is always prepared, interested, they do their homework when they come," Lewis said.
Indarsingh spoke about government's accomplishments on the labour front and in managing the economy over the past four years.
"He also encouraged public servants to ensure that there was productivity.
"From that end you can see what we are doing to bring about an improvement in your quality of life and standard of living. I call upon the PSA and its officers and membership, that you have a sense of duty to T&T to ensure that there is productivity to meet the demands of the population of this country.
"At the end of the day you are an important component in the delivery of services to the citizenry of this country.
"You will be judged on your sense of commitment to duty and your sense of customer care and, in that regard, I urge you to understand that you have a responsibility to your union, to yourself, to your family and, foremost, a responsibility to the citizens of T&T."?