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The Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM), the National Trade Union Centre (NTAC), and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions (FITUN) will no longer participate in the National Tripartite Advisory Council (NTAC).
Union leaders held a press conference held at the National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NUGFW) office in Port of Spain on Wednesday.
The meeting was attended by NATUC representative’s general secretary Michael Annisette, president Watson Duke, and vice-president James Lambert, as well as JTUM president Ancel Roget and FITUN president Joseph Remy.
Annisette said, “After long, mature, and insightful debate, we have concluded that the role of the federations in NTAC, which advises the Prime Minister, is serving no purpose for the trade union movement and the working class.”
NTAC was formed in 2016 to facilitate engagements, dialogue, and consultations with the private sector, labour movements and the government.
“We want the public to be aware of the disrespect we have experienced from the government of TT,” said Lambert.
“I will send a message to the government: trade unions will be here forever. As long as there are employers who exploit working class, including the government as the largest employer, there will always be trade unions.”
Annisette used Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley as an example of how a tripartite agreement should work.
“When (Mottley) is rolling out anything during covid19, you will see the unions (and) business community side by side with her…That is true tripartism…She understands Barbados cannot survive unless there is genuine dialogue between the social partners. That is not forthcoming in TT.”
Annisette said the committee was set up as a public relations (PR) benefit for the government. “We can no longer continue in a society where we set up committees for PR purposes for people to look good and the business of the people that we represent is put on the back burner.”
Roget said when the opportunity presented itself to be a part of NTAC, the trade unions saw it as an opportunity to collaborate for the benefit of everyone. “Little did we know that when we accepted to participate in good faith, there was this surreptitious plan to silence, and get rid of trade union movements.”
He said thousands of workers have been sent home, and thousands more will be out of jobs, and this was done without discussion with the trade unions.
He said since its inauguration, there has been no labour legislation laid before Parliament on behalf of the working class.
The union leaders also announced they have formed a merger and its’ decision to step away from NTAC is the first of many decisions they will be making as a unit.
“We have chosen to ignore our individual concerns and represent the collective,” said Duke. “The hatchet is not just buried; it is destroyed.”
He said the union leaders would meet again on Friday to discuss a way forward.
“When we are done meeting, we will be one federation; not by name, but insofar as objectives.”
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