petroleumworld

The trade union movement joined hands yesterday and has given Government an ultimatum, threatening action on Labour Day, if the proposed Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Authority (TTRA) is not shelved and all outstanding union negotiations are settled.

Some 14 trade unions came together at the headquarters of the Public Services Association (PSA), Abercromby Street, Port of Spain, to lend support to the PSA and voice their objection to Government’s move to shut down Customs and Excise and the Board of Inland Revenue and replace it with the TTRA.

Legislation to effect this move was already passed in the Lower House with Government’s majority last month. The bill was passed despite heated protests by the PSA and objections from the Opposition benches.

Yesterday, a call was made to all Independent Senators, including Michael Annisette, to not support the TTRA Bill when it comes up for debate in the Upper House.

Ancel Roget, president of the Oilfields Workers Trade Union (OWTU), asserted, ’We see an attack on the PSA as an attack on all of the workers in Trinidad and Tobago, we are all under attack ...We are giving the Government by Labour Day, June 19 of this year, to settle all outstanding negotiations, including this issue of the establishment of a TTRA.’

He added, ’Look out for a major announcement on Labour Day, June 19 of this year, if we did not have all of these protracted negotiations settled.’

He said there are a number of negotiations outstanding, including matters at Petrotrin, NP, PowerGen, UWI, TCL and T&TEC. Government, he added, is ’frustrating the workers’, even while they are ’squandering money’ and not meeting the terms and conditions of the unions.

Roget slammed the Fifth Summit of the Americas and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which were hosted by this Government last year, as well as the upcoming meeting of Caricom Heads here, saying, ’One can draw the conclusion that where workers’ business is concerned, there is no priority on the part of this Government. Where squandermania is concerned, there is priority on the part of the Government.’

He noted that the Public Sector Negotiating Committee (PSNC) was also hindering the negotiating process.

’It (PSNC) is this group of elite Ministers who themselves have their remuneration packages settled. They are denying workers of their just settlement of their negotiations. We will do whatever is necessary and answer the call and respond in the traditional manner to ensure that justice is served at all of these bargaining tables. Workers are taking a beating and it is time that workers rise up to their just cause,’ he said.

Vincent Cabrera, head of NATUC and BIGWU, said the proposed TTRA was just a symptom of the horrors workers have to endure. He said at present there are over 1,000 First Citizens workers who are faced with serious ’industrial relations terror’. He said the employer had agreed to a 17 per cent increase last year, but because of the intervention of the PSNC that agreement was reneged on.

’We intend to intensify the struggle ... we have to start picketing the Public Sector Negotiating Committee because they are interfering with collective bargaining. FCB workers will be among those if we have to take action, to take action because water more than flour,’ he said.

President of NUGFW, James Lambert, said under no circumstances would the union support the TTRA.

’We are saying enough is enough, we cannot continue as a labour movement to have the PSNC and a few Ministers directing the CPO (Chief Personnel Officer) as it relates to negotiations,’ he said.

’We are appealing to all independent senators who will be there for the debate of that bill not to support that bill, because it is not in the best interest of the working class.’

PSA president Watson Duke said the trade union was not about shutting down the country. However, he said the Government is showing that they do not need workers as they can import foreign labour.

’It is quite clear they do not want workers in their country. What they want is servants ... they do not want workers who will work independently of the Government and work for the people of this nation, so it is not about a shutdown, workers are going to stay home and ponder on this situation,’ he said.

’If it is anything, it is the Government who will shut down this country,’ quipped Lambert.