Employees of the Solid Waste Management Company Limited (SWMCOL) have agreed to continue working as they wait to meet with Public Utilities Minister Ancil Antoine next week.
Speaking yesterday, president of the Industrial General and Sanitation Workers Union, Robert Benacia, said the decision was taken following Monday’s meeting with Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus.
The Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) led the contingent of union heads into the meeting which took place in Port-of-Spain. Benacia said while the union’s members have been asked to desist from embarking on industrial action right now, it still remained a strong possibility which was heavily dependent on the outcome of next week’s meeting.
Revealing that no date had yet been set for the meeting with Antoine, Benacia said: “It is very unlikely that Government will pay the money but we are hoping that something will change between now and next week.”
Workers at the country’s largest provider of waste management and environmental protection services have warned that operations could be severely affected if government failed to pay the $9.5 million back pay owed to them. The union represents approximately 200 present and former employees.
The collective bargaining agreement was signed on June 5 with officials of the previous People’s Partnership administration, for the period 2011 to 2013. The payment of the outstanding arrears was promised by November 30.
Benacia said the JTUM was scheduled to meet next Tuesday and that following their meeting with Antoine, they would be in a better position to advise what the next course of action would be.