(Trinidad Guardian) Under heavy downpour, scores of angry workers marched outside the Prime Minister’s residence last evening, demanding he call the general election and put an end to what they believe is a ‘self-serving’ salary hike.
The Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU) was joined by the Communication Workers Union and the Aviation Communication and Allied Workers Union as they protested outside Dr Keith Rowley’s official residence at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s.
They accused the Government of rushing to fill their pockets with the acceptance of the proposal by the Salaries Review Commission (SRC). The unions are demanding that the report be tabled in the Parliament so it can be debated in front of the people who placed them in office.
Braving the rain as they ramped up protest action last evening, workers from the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC) shifted gears to picket outside Dr Rowley’s residence. The workers were originally scheduled to picket Flagstaff, Long Circular Road, St James, where Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales is believed to be staying, but later shifted location even though Dr Rowley is currently in Barbados.
Despite this, OWTU president general Ancel Roget said Dr Rowley would get the message that the trade union movement was prepared to escalate the action with the hopes of getting them out of office.
The rowdy bunch marched in time to the rhythm section.
Roget said the T&TEC workers had not received a salary increase since 2014, and the current negotiations have stalled. Roget told the gathering, “The standard of living of the people in this country has deteriorated rapidly over the last nine years and continues.
Angry as workers continue to suffer, he said, “They would callously and calmly accept an SRC report that gives himself some 47.2 per cent increase in salary.”
Giving the Government failing grades in the areas of crime, energy and the economy, he added, “It is total mismanagement with arrogance.” Roget vowed, “We are not prepared to take one more minute of this nonsense that passes for governance in this country.”
Standing in solidarity with the OWTU, the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) stated in a press release yesterday, “As citizens continue to struggle to make ends meet in a country grappling with economic decline due to stringent government measures, the government’s decision to accept the SRC’s recommendations, which provide substantial pay increases and back pay for themselves while offering minimal support to those who drive the economy, clearly reflects a lack of concern for the needs and issues facing ordinary people in our nation.”
The SRC has proposed increases for members of the Government, along with those on the opposition bench and other top officials.
At Thursday’s post-Cabinet media briefing, Dr Rowley said he agreed to accept the SRC’s salary hike proposal. Roget blasted the acceptance of the substantial pay increase, especially after the Government only agreed to provide a four per cent increase for six years to public servants.
The union said this “clearly highlights their disconnect from the citizens they vowed to serve.” Roget dismissed token suggestions that the working class may be given a higher increase, as he said, “Call the election now and let the people have a say.”
March planned for December 7
Meanwhile, JTUM sounded the alarm to ramp up protest action. Roget urged citizens to come out on December 7 and gather outside Whitehall, Queen’s Park West, Port-of-Spain, from 9 am as they move to send a clear and strong signal that enough is enough.
In a media release yesterday, JTUM denounced Dr Rowley and his government’s acceptance of the SRC report, saying it is “arrogant disregard” for workers and citizens struggling to make ends meet. They described it as “self-serving and obscene.”
Agreeing that accepting the salary increases is disrespectful, Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) Political Leader David Abdulah noted that Rowley’s justification rested on claims that he and his ministers work hard for the country.
Abdulah argued that such a rationale disrespects all the hard-working citizens who the Government told to tighten their belts and endure over a decade without meaningful wage increases. Many public servants, he said, have had “four and five per cent rammed down their throats” by Minister of Finance Colm Imbert and Chief Personnel Officer Dr Daryl Dindial.
Abdulah believes it indicates that Rowley, who already lives comfortably, is looking out for himself and is unconcerned about the welfare of citizens, many of whom struggle from payday to payday. He urged the trade union movement and citizens to stand up against the decision, calling for protests.
“If citizens protest in large enough numbers, then that might force the political directorate, the Prime Minister and others to think twice about what they are doing and to pull back from this decision.” When asked if Cabinet members deserve salary increases, Abdulah underscored that while the SRC conducts job evaluations, it does not carry out performance appraisals.
“If Trinidad and Tobago did a performance appraisal, would these politicians deserve a salary increase? I do not think so. Given the high crime rates, an economy in trouble, crumbling infrastructure, and failing institutions, their performance does not warrant such an increase.”
