The National Trade Union Centre of T&T (NATUC) has issued a warning to Government that any decision to further decrease subsidies on fuel will severely affect the working class.
The umbrella trade union body also warned that Government would face an “avalanche” of protests if such a measure was announced in today’s budget.
At a press conference held at the Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union, Port-of-Spain last week NATUC’s general secretary Michael Annisette said it was rumoured fuel subsidies were expected to either be reduced or removed.
“If the Government is going to take away the subsidy we are saying please do not walk that road otherwise they will face an avalanche from all the trade unions in this country.
“The removal of the subsidy would have serious implications for the working class and Government must consider this,” Annisette said.
At a forum, entitled, Spotlight on T&T’s Financial Circumstances: The Road Ahead, held last Wednesday labour leaders came under fire from various personalities at the forum, including university lecturer and economist Dr Roger Hosein, who questioned their absence from the event.
But Annisette said there was no need for unions to be present as union leaders had previously told Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley at a meeting two weeks ago that they would not be attending.
He said such discussions ought to be held at the National Tripartite Advisory Council level.
NATUC’s president general James Lambert who also spoke at the press conference also questioned whether the event was a “PR stunt” put on by Government to give the impression that labour was not interested in what was taking place in the country.
“The Government knew full well that we would not be attending that session and we are saying that labour must not be used. The unions have their own set of issues and we indicated all of this to the Prime Minister.”
Nirvan Maharaj, president general of the All Trinidad General Workers’ Trade Union, said the time had come for unions to no longer be treated with disdain by Government and appealed to Government to deal with “bread and butter issues” in this year’s budget.