CASTRIES, St. Lucia – The Civil Service Association (CSA) says its members will stay away from work today, the eight day of an indefinite strike, even as it signalled its intention to meet with the St. Lucia government to discuss increases salaries for public workers.
CSA president Mary Isaac defended the decision not to meet with the Government Negotiating Team (GNT) on Monday, saying that the union had a “pre-arranged” meeting with the Trade Union Federation (TUF), the umbrella trade union body.
“That meeting (with the TUF) has guided us on the way forward to meet with the GNT,” Isaac told reporters, adding that meetings with the GNT in the past had not been conclusive.
“We are expecting to continue the strike Wednesday, and hopefully by Thursday something material should take place based on what’s on the ground,” she said, adding “when we meet with the GNT we will know whether or not to continue the strike next week”.
Isaac said while the CSA has accepted government’s invitation to continue the negotiations, it is rejecting the government’s ultimatum that the workers must return to work before the talks could resume.
“We do not believe government will continue to entertain this condition because our members will not budge,” she added.
The CSA is calling for a 9.5 per cent salary increase without conditions or 4.5 per cent with special conditions/benefits, but the government says it cannot meet that demand and is offering a four per cent wage hike with benefits.
Some of the TUF members, including the unions representing teachers, police, and fire officers have accepted the government’s offer.
The strike by the CSA members has continued to affect government offices here even though the government last week issued a statement thanking “the large numbers of public officers who have been turning up for work and rendering service”.
The Kenny Anthony administration has also warned that it is not obligated to pay employees for services that they did not perform during a strike or lockout. (CMC)
