radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
While pensioners waited for bus transport, workers staged a noisy protest outside the Public Service Transport Corporation in San Fernando yesterday.
Incensed that $15 million had been allocated for Carnival and their salaries were still the same, the workers called on the Corporation to engage in wage negotiations so they could provide for their families. They also said their lives are at stake as not enough was being done to protect them from COVID-19.
“I can’t mind my family. Food prices too high,” one worker shouted as he held a placard that read, “PM mismanaging the economy.”
Others chanted, “We want We Money Right Now.”
Vice president of the San Fernando Branch of the Transport and Industrial Workers Trade Union Ryan Ramdath said over the weekend, an employee reportedly died from COVID-19 and there has not been proper sanitisation at the Golconda offices. He said workers throughout PTSC’s operations did not have basic safety necessities.
“I am talking about normal things like gloves, proper coverall to sanitise, proper equipment. It took PTSC two years to get ten mist blowers for the different locations. That is unacceptable,” he added.
TIWU’s first executive vice president Paul Smith said apart from sanitisation issues, workers were upset because the Corporation was not negotiating as scheduled.
“They are playing too much games!” he declared adding, “The Corporation gave dates for negotiation to begin on February 1. The union took the initiative to call ministry but nothing was submitted to PTSC as it relates to the workers and negotiations.”
He also said the lives of workers were at risk because of violations of health and safety.
“At the Port-of-Spain depot there was an alleged COVID-positive case and sanitisation took place a week later. Then over this weekend, we heard a comrade passed away and nothing has been put in place up to this point in time,” Smith said.
At Port-of-Spain, Smith said there was no one to sanitise units.
“They asked a body washer to do sanitisation of units. All the people who were hired under Corporation to do controlled sanitisation. Their contracts have not been renewed so we are operating on a skeletal staff and we taking this comrade outside of his job spec,” Smith added.
Meanwhile, TIWU’s branch secretary of the PTSC Point Fortin branch Deon Stanislaus agreed that workers were frustrated. However, he said workers understood the need for public safety noting that PTSC’s operations were not affected by the protests.
“We want the public to know, understand and support our cause because we want a better service. We have 300 new buses coming. We are trying to make the situation better but if the infrastructure is not put in place to make sure a safe seat is given to the travelling public, then we spinning top in mud,” Stanislaus said.
He said all the buses were sanitised.
“I don’t want them to think that the buses are not sanitised. The buses are sanitised after every trip, we have cleaners. Public safety is a number one priority,” Stanislaus said.
PTSC chairman Edwin Gooding could not be reached for comment.
Shortly after the protests, union executives were called in for a meeting with PTSC’s Human Resource department.