PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar was meeting this afternoon with disgruntled trade union leaders who have warned that they were prepared to shut down the country if the government refuses to remove a five per cent cap on wage negotiations for public workers.
President General of the Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU), Ancel Roget, who is leading at least 19 trade unionists to the talks, repeated the warning that the unions were not interested in negotiating once the five per cent cap remains a stumbling block to “free and fair collective bargaining”.
He said the unions were merely adhering to a request by Prime Minister Persad Bissessar for talks, adding “our position is clear and concise”.
“We did not ask for a meeting…we are preparing to shut down the country,” he said as he lead the trade unionists into the Office for the Prime Minister.
Persad Bissessar said last week that she was unaware of a five per cent cap for public workers negotiations, but Roget told reporters that “it is a national directive from the Minister of Finance (Winston Dookeran).
As the talks got underway here, the private sector groups were urging conciliation.
The Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (DOMA) said it was hoping for a resolution and that no ultimatum would be issued during the talks.
Executive Director of the Employers Consultative Federation (ECA), Linda Besson, said there is need for dialogue and hoped that both parties could examine the possibility of a third party to mediate.
The unions have warned that no notice would be given when the nationwide strike would begin, saying “it would come like a thief in the night”. (CMC)
