JTUM gears up for national shutdown

The Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) is mobilising for a day of “resistance and national shutdown”, to be preceded by a candlelight vigil outside the office of the Prime Minister on December 1.

This was agreed to following a National Conference of Shop Steward and Branch Officers (COSSABO) at OWTU Headquarters in San Fernando on Wednesday. Over 400 shop stewards, branch officers and activists of various trade unions participated in the conference.

The conference received a report from JTUM’s boycott committee about the implementation of a boycott of ten companies identified as being part of the so-called, ‘elitist one percent ruling class.’ The boycott is expected to be officially launched soon.

In a media statement, the conference dismissed government’s statement of doing more from less, saying this was a very misleading and contradictory statement, as ordinary workers were living and working on less for a long time while other members of society including party financiers, the one percent and friends of government continue to enjoy more, even in this period of so called less.

“The COSSABO therefore having resolved that workers must place our hope in our own destiny and that the PNM is not the answer to today’s problems, has mandated the leadership of JTUM to identify a date and begin an aggressive campaign of mobilization in preparation for day one of resistance and national shutdown,” the release stated.

JTUM is expected to engage in a series of workplace and community meetings in preparation for the day of resistance and national shutdown. COSSABO also described the non-response of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to a letter dated October 12, which highlighted the trade union movement’s position on the 2018 budget as, “highly disrespectful and unproductive.”