Head of the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) Ancel Roget is warning Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to get rid of errant ministers before his Government collapses.
Speaking at May Day celebrations at Harris Promenade in San Fernando yesterday, Roget said the labour movement will do its own mid-year review on government’s policies when T&T celebrates Labour Day on June 19. Labour leaders will also expose the arrogance of some ministers who are against the working class, Roget added.
More than 14 trade unions including the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union, T&T Unified Teachers Association, Public Service Association, Contracts and General Workers’ Union, Amalgamated Workers Union, Farmers Union, Communication Workers Union and Steel Workers Union attended the rally, which was seen as the biggest public May Day march in over a decade.
Promising that the labour movement will make its contributions to the National Tripartite Advisory Council (NTAC), Roget warned that labour leaders will not tolerate disrespect from government ministers.
“Balancing your book Mr Minister of Finance is the beginning. If you are not prepared to meet with us and consult then prepare yourself for the greatest industrial relational tsunami that will come your way,” Roget said.
He added: “Every minister should call in every union and see what could be done about this economic tsunami that is facing us.”
He also threw a word of caution to Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi who admitted to giving legal advice to ArcelorMittal before he assumed his political post.
“I want to know what is the reason you are afraid, or reluctant or hesitant to pass retroactive legislation. Is it because a certain high flyer who is a lawyer represented ArcelorMittal’s interests? Do not play that you are supporting us by day and in the darkness of night you are supporting another,” Roget said.
Communications Workers’ Union president, Joseph Remy, who also spoke, said the burden of adjustment should not fall on the backs of workers. “Every day workers are being placed on the breadline. The burden of adjustment has to be shared equitably,” Remy said. He also called on Government to lend support to local farmers who can assist in reducing the food import bill.
Natuc:
“All war will break loose if the Government brings in the International Monetary Fund into T&T,” National Trade Union Centre (Natuc) general secretary Vincent Cabrera vowed yesterday.
He was speaking during May Day celebrations in San Fernando yesterday. Addressing thousands of workers, Cabrera vowed to mount public protests, marches and vigils if the Government brought in the IMF to address economic problems.
Saying IMF policies had failed in Africa, Jamaica and Guyana, Cabrera said privatisation, higher crime rates and more job losses will occur if the IMF intervened in managing T&T’s economy. He noted that the IMF’s proposals will bring ruin to the working classes.
“We don’t want the IMF in Trinidad! All over Africa, the IMF introduced structural adjustment programmes. It’s years later they admitted that those policies failed. So we have to be careful about the IMF,” Cabrera said. He said if the IMF comes into T&T, conditionalities will be introduced.