There are rumblings in the trade union movement, with a warning coming from the National Trade Union Centre (Natuc) of an impending fallout if decisions concerning workers continue to be made without social dialogue and consultation.
“Natuc is being left out of conversations on how the economy is carried forward. You are going to have a fallout with the general population,” Michael Annisette, general secretary of Natuc, the umbrella body of 13 trade unions, said.
“This (lack of consultation) would contradict statements about the Government being all-inclusive.”
Annisette further noted: “To date, there is no labour representative on any of the state boards. I am advised they are now looking at it.”
He was responding to questions from the T&T Guardian on a decision by the board of the National Gas Company (NGC), a state entity, to freeze its workers’ salaries.
The NGC’s decision was made in light of the company’s position because of low gas prices and was described by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley as a sensible move.
Annisette said several union colleagues have expressed to him concerns about the lack of consultation and social dialogue concerning decisions affecting workers.
Unions under Natuc include Bank & General Workers Trade Union, Seamen & Waterfront Workers Trade Union, National Union of Government & Federated Workers and Transport and Industrial Workers Union.
Some of these unions are part of the Joint Trade Union Movement which signed a memorandum of understanding with the PNM before it won the September 7 general election. The details of that MOU have not been made public.
Annisette also completely rejected suggestions by economist Dr Roger Hosein that, as a necessary economic adjustment, wage freezes be implemented across the board in the public and private sectors.
Charging that Hosein does not understand the real world of work, and challenging him to a public debate, Annisette said an economy’s survival is based on a thriving, working middle class.
“If the working class does not purchase goods and services, the economy cannot strive. The economy is not about magic. It is not about inanimate figures. It is about people. If you leave people out of the equation you will end up with a serious crisis.”
He asked, “Why don’t they freeze prices too? When you freeze a worker’s wages but prices keep going up, what position are you putting him in? Wage freezes will have to be decided upon on a case-by-case basis.”
Annisette said the NGC issue is not about freezing wages but about benchmarking its operations according to the international benchmark.