Although Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s address has left many of the nation’s workforce worried, several trade union leaders say they prefer to wait and see what occurs in the new year.
While the Transport and Industrial Workers’ Union (TIWU) anticipates a wage freeze after Rowley mandated all arms of Government to reduce expenditure by seven per cent, the Contractors and General Workers’ Union (CGWU) and the T&T Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) said they will continue wage negotiations as usual.
In a telephone interview, TTUTA president Devanand Sinanan said after listening to last Tuesday’s address on the state of the economy, he did not get the impression that wage increases would be halted. He said while there would be reduced expenditure by the Government, there are many ways to cut back without jeopardising employments.
He added that TTUTA would continue to negotiate with the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) as teachers’ demands for salary increases are based on a survey of comparative salaries in the industry.
“TTUTA’s approach to salary negotiation is based on the completion of an external labour market survey and based on that result we will engage in discussions with the CPO,” Sinanan said.
“Dr Rowley is calling on the various arms of Government to cut back on expenditure but it does not mean cutting back employment. There are various aspects of Government expenditure that can be reduced without compromising the workers, but I won’t say what they are.”
He said the Joint Trade Union Movement awaits further discussion with the Government, which formed part of an agreement they signed with the People’s National Movement (PNM) before the general elections. The agreement ensures that Government will consult them before decisions on labour are taken.
CGWU president Ainsley Matthews also believes there will not be a wage freeze but noted there may be reduction in how much of an increase employers are willing to settle on. However, Matthew, whose union represents Lake Asphalt workers, said it was too early to give a position on their approach to wage discussion. He said there needs to be more discussions with the Government and unions must be open minded.
“We have to sit and talk as citizens and we must think about our country’s economic position. We have to watch and see how things unfold, be open minded and examine the entire situation. It was a frank and very informative address by Dr Rowley,” Matthews said.
He said he was not worried about there being any mass retrenchment, however, as T&T has always found a way of balancing through perilous times.
But Rowley’s address was interpreted differently by TIWU president Roland Sutherland, who said he believes a wage freeze might be on the cards. He said any time employers have to reduce expenditure, workers are the ones to suffer in order to maintain managements’ affluent lifestyles.
He said the union will have to meet with the National Trade Union Centre (Natuc) to discuss the way forward.