1 week ago
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Senior Reporter
Trade unions are eagerly anticipating the release of the Government’s proposed workers’ agenda, which is being promoted as the answer to several long-standing industrial relations issues, including an over reliance on contract labour.
Yesterday, several unions under the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) met with Labour Minister Leroy Baptiste for introductory talks. Union leaders who spoke after the discussions said they were satisfied with the outcome.
They also vehemently rejected claims by San Fernando East MP Brian Manning, who criticised trade unions for cozying up to the Government at a time when thousands were on the breadline.
Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) president Martin Lum Kin said the meeting was “cordial and productive,” with Minister Baptiste promising further engagements in smaller groups.
Lum Kin said some of the issues raised were, “the working of the Industrial Court, as well as the composition of the Industrial Court. The legislation, amendments to legislation that would affect all trade unions. More specifically, the Industrial Relations Act.”
He said Baptiste also said Government has drafted a policy called the Workers’ Agenda, which will be shared soon. He said they were told the policy addresses contract labour, a main concern of unions.
“He did express the Government’s policy of not continuing, as far as possible, contract labour. That’s a general statement. We really need to get that clarified.”
Unions have previously argued that contract employment was a deliberate strategy by employers to weaken workers’ rights and undermine the power of collective bargaining.
TTUTA said it is proceeding with the talks in a spirit of “cautious optimism.”
Meanwhile, Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) Secretary General Joanne Ogeer said conversations also included the issue of having a living wage.
“And based on the tone of the meeting, the expectation of the trade union and our points posited to the minister, they were well received,” she said.
She said the CWU is also hoping the workers’ agenda will meaningfully address contract labour, a challenge her union has been grappling with for some time.
“We seem to be having a lot of exploitation of contract labour in TSTT. That is on the front burner for us, and we would want to see negotiations settle expeditiously and favourably. Those are the two burning matters. The pension matter, which we are at the point of actually signing off, that would have been one of the things on the back burner.”
However, Ogeer took San Fernando East MP Manning to task for accusing trade union leaders of “kissing up” to the Prime Minister. Manning also claimed unionists were loyal to their “UNC masters” and not their members.
“I believe Mr Manning is an elitist PNM, and he needs to stay out of trade union business, and if he’s so concerned about what trade union is supposed to be doing, he would have been more vocal before.”
She added, “So right now, it is an unfair statement to say what he has been saying, and I would reiterate that we are not part of any coalition, so we do not support any misuse or disabuse by the PNM nor the UNC. So as a matter of fact, I think he needs to keep his ideas to himself and stay out of trade union business.”
Both TTUTA and the Amalgamated Workers’ Union (AWU)leaders stressed their unions are apolitical.
The AWU said it is hoping the workers’ agenda addresses issues it has been having with the Registration, Recognition and Certification Board, which is the entity responsible for registering and regulating unions. General Secretary Cassandra Tommy said a reform of the Occupational Safety and Health Act is also high on their agenda.
The union leaders said there was no mention of wage negotiations. That may be raised today when Baptiste hosts consultations on the Home Invasion Bill and national budget with JTUM and the National Trade Union Centre (NATUC). Baptiste could not be reached for comment yesterday.
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