The Communications Workers Union (CWU) has been "decimated" by the loss of membership dues after the Telecommunications Services of T&T (TSTT) dismissed more than 500 workers last year.
One of the fallouts from the mass dismissals is that once workers are no longer attached to the company they do not pay dues for representation and the union suffers financially.
According to an internal message sent to all the members of the CWU yesterday, the loss of the 500 TSTT workers was a big financial hit for the union.
The internal circular sent yesterday by a sub-sect within the CWU, the Progressive Workers detailed not just the financial worries of the union, but also the lack of confidence in the current union management.
The memo described the 2018 job cuts as "very challenging".
"Today our union is being decimated by the loss of membership at TSTT which is the largest income earner for the union," the memo stated.
"If an analysis is done it would reveal that in order to survive, we would soon have to rethink how we do business administratively.
"Internally as an organisation, the Communications Workers Union has been struggling administratively because of leadership which can best be described as impotent."
The letter warned members that 2019 might see more job cuts.
"It cannot be business as usual," the letter warned.
The letter encouraged the working class to become more politically educated and to commit to becoming the catalyst for social and economic change.
When Petrotrin shut down at the end of October, the Oilfields Workers Trade Union (OWTU) lost some of its members as well. Petrotrin sent home some 4,800 workers but it is unclear how many of them belonged to the OWTU. The union has not said how many members it has lost or whether the lack of dues has created a financial challenge for the 81-year-old trade union.
Guardian Media reached out to OWTU president general Ancel Roget for clarification, but there was no response.
Guardian Media also sought clarification from the current general secretary at the CWU, Clyde Elder on the lost dues and the lack of confidence in his leadership but he did not respond.
Elder was among the 503 workers dismissed by TSTT in November and he was physically removed from the company's head office in December. In a struggle with TSTT security guards, Elder was thrown out of the building and sought medical attention. He also made a formal report to the police that he was assaulted by the TSTT security.