Unions march through PoS ‘We will fight to the end’

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OWTU head Ancel Roget threatened to shut down TT to protest stalled wage talks, echoing hints from SWWTU head Michael Annisette, as thousands of trade union members marched on Friday through Port of Spain to reject the CPO’s latest offer to public sector workers.
Labour leaders used the march and rally to repeatedly reject the CPO’s four per cent offer over the period spanning 2014-2019.
For over four hours labour supporters marched, first in blazing Sun and then in downpours, in a flash of colour of union jerseys, flags and banners, backed by protest songs from music trucks.
The SWWTU’s maroon jerseys, the PSA’s green, CAGWTU’s yellow, OWTU’s dark blue and Postal Workers Union’s purple, plus fire officers’ red jerseys and WASA workers blue jerseys, somewhat resembled a Carnival parade.
To this were added decades of calypso plus other genres, but all having a protest theme. These were Singing Sandra’s Dignity, Ella Andell’s Bring Down the Power, Gypsy’s Sinking Ship, David Rudder’s High Mas, King Austin’s Progress, Natasha Wilson’s One Day, Ella Andell’s and Devon Matthews’ The Journey, Mighty Sparrow’s Capitalism Gone Mad, 3-Canal’s Talk Yuh Talk, plus reggae anthem Bob Marley’s Get up Stand up.
Participants had mixed views on the turnout, one telling Newsday it was great, another saying it was disappointing, and with one onlooker likening the crowd size to a zesser party. Participant Joan Chadee said many retrenched people were relying on the due back pay, as she lamented firms now not hiring TT nationals but Venezuelans, and an absence of youth training openings for her grandson. The final rally was hosted by TTUTA head Antonia de Freitas.
Roget began by saying the labour movement rejected wage hikes ranging from sums of 4-26 per cent, as not giving workers a decent increase.
While promising reasonableness, he vowed, “We will continue to march.”
“Here’s our way forward now: We march. And we march again. We will continue to march. In all countries throughout the world, where governments are taking advantage of their people, the people take to the streets.
“When people take to the streets they don’t go home until the government is gone, so we have a perfect example.
“We are building something. The time is coming very soon and it will come like a thief in the night.”
Roget said the unions could not publicly discuss their strategy at that event, just as their only opponents discuss their strategies in Cabinet and boardrooms.
“There are some things we could talk – all within the law – and some things we would not talk but, rest assured, that all of those things must come together, have to come together soon.”
He said it may take three, four or five days for workers to be off their jobs to send a message to the Government.
“If there is nobody to collect the tax, nobody to pick up the garbage, nobody to deal with the public utilities – everybody resting and reflecting – and we find one day is not enough and we find two, three days are not enough, it is then time we shut this blasted place down. It has to come to that.”
Roget dubbed the country’s leadership the most evil ever seen.
“We’ll have to put in place a response the likes of which the country has not seen for a while and the likes of which this country has never ever seen.”
Saying the Government had asked the populace for a job, only to now be sending people home, he said it was time they themselves be fired.
Roget objected to the Government’s $7.5 million allocation for Independence celebrations, even as people were suffering.
He urged the Government to give retirees a proper adjustment on their pension, conclude wage negotiations, and stop a wave of retrenchment.
Saying labour will act within the law, he urged all present to be messengers of labour’s position. Saying the day’s event had been called at short notice, he alerted them to be ready for a call at even shorter notice to “do something.”
Roget urged the Government to beg for or borrow money to pay the workers.
Earlier, Annisette had advised attendees that it would soon be time for all to get together to stay home to rest and reflect. He said labour was not afraid of the Prime Minister.
Annisette distanced the CPO’s four per cent offer from seven per cent for three years recently given to Angostura workers, whom he said ultimately got 28 per cent over nine years.
“The struggle is for the long haul,” Annisette said. Urging unity, he said one union leader cannot succeed alone.
NATUC president James Lambert said, under the CPO’s offer, pensioners retiring in certain years might get zero new benefits, after years of their sacrifice.
Alleging broken promises by the Government, he proposed the union establish a contributory pension plan for daily-rated workers.
“We are not afraid of Rowley and will fight to the core until we are satisfied.”
PSA head Leroy Baptiste also warned against excluding retirees from fresh benefits. Alleging Dr Rowley’s due pension will always match a sitting prime minister’s salary, he urged, “If it is sauce for the goose, it is sauce for the gander.”
Baptiste said at the Government was showing disrespect by offering four per cent and telling workers to take it or leave it.
“We ain’t taking no four per cent.”
Baptiste accused Rowley of disrespect by variously saying crime was a parenting problem or a public health problem.
Urging workers to consider themselves to be soldiers in the wage-battle, he concluded, “The fight is not for the faint-hearted.”
The post Unions march through PoS: ‘We will fight to the end’ appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

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