The National Trade Union Centre (Natuc) is warning the Government that Finance Minister Colm Imbert’s plan to introduce a wage restraint for public servants “was out of order” and could prove to be a “prescription for confrontation, confusion and bacchanal.”
Issuing the warning yesterday was Natuc general secretary, Michael Annisette, who said the continued disrespect being meted out to the movement was not a positive reflection on Government’s part and spoke to the betrayal of workers.
Speaking at a press conference at the National Union of Government and Federated Workers’ (NUGFW) Port-of-Spain office, Annisette accused Imbert of “acting in bad faith.”
On Wednesday, Imbert announced a wage restraint would be effected for the period 2017 to 2020, with Government’s offer beginning at 0-0-0.
Blasting Imbert alongside Annisette yesterday was president of both the NUGFW and Natuc, James Lambert, who summed it up as he declared: “You are out of order. Leave that for those who are negotiating.”
Lambert and Annisette agreed that Imbert spoke out of turn in making the announcement.
Lambert said the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) negotiated on Government’s behalf and any such instructions/offers should have been communicated to him to be placed on the table when they met in negotiations. The two said Government, as the employer, was duty bound to respect the principles and terms of collective bargaining.
While they admitted they were “painfully aware” of the economic state of T&T, Annisette said any kind of wage freeze/restraint would create a contraction of the economy. He said it was unfair that “workers in T&T are being called upon to carry most of the burden in this economic time.”
Stressing that the trade union movement remains committed to negotiating with the Government, he added: “We won’t allow ourselves to be played or fooled.”
Annisette issued another veiled warning as he said retrenchment and a refusal by Government to spend money to stimulate the economy would not work.
“It creates all kinds of unrest within your country and we don’t want to walk that road,” he said, adding the widening gap between the upper and middle and lower classes was enough reason for all stakeholders to meet urgently.
Saying the economic situation was not as dire as Government was making it out to be, Lambert described as “outrageous” that Imbert would undertake to negotiate on behalf of the CPO. He said that was evidenced by the presentation of a $53 billion budget this year.
“We have met with the Prime Minister and while we are aware of the economic situation, it is not as bad as they purporting it to be,” Lambert said.
Labelling this latest behaviour as a confirmation of Government’s “anti-worker” campaign, Lambert said to Imbert: “You are out of order. Leave that for those who are negotiating. We know where to start, we know what to accept and we know where to end.”
Joining in solidarity with Natuc was PSA president Watson Duke, who is also Natuc’s first vice-president. He urged the Government to consider carefully the issue of price control before looking to interfere with the public sector wages.
Also present yesterday was Transport and Industrial Workers Union president, Roland Sutherland, who refrained from making any public statements.