Duke still calls on public servants to take days off

PSA President Watson Duke is meeting Finance Minister Colm Imbert on Monday but is still calling on Board of Inland Revenue (BIR) and Customs and Excise Division workers to rest and reflect today and tomorrow.

“I was a bit taken aback and surprised to learn that while we were (finalising the meeting), the media had been given an agenda via a press release from the minister’s office. An agenda I want to expose for what it is,” Duke declared yesterday during a press conference at the PSA head office, Abercromby Street, Port of Spain.

“The Minister of Finance is not meeting with me as a favour. He is bound and must treat with me...According to the Civil Service Act, Chapter 23:01, Section 24, the Minister of Finance shall recognise the PSA as the appropriate bargaining unit for civil servants. It goes on to say, for the purpose of consultation – not clarification – negotiations, with respect to any matters specified in Section 14 of the Act (such as) grievances, classification of office, remuneration, terms of employment and conditions of service.”

Duke made it clear that if Imbert wants to transfer civil servants from BIR and the Customs and Excise Division to the TT Revenue Authority (TTRA), “he is bound to consult with me.”

“This is the law. It’s not a favour and we do not want any clarification meeting with the minister. I’ll be going to that meeting but I’m not going there seeking any clarification. I’m going there to consult.”

The Finance Ministry and Labour Ministry both issued statements yesterday afternoon, emphasising the job security of all BIR and Customs and Excise workers. Citing this and rules about when public servants can and cannot stay off the job, both ministries urged the workers to ignore Duke’s call to rest and reflect.

Asked by Newsday why he was still advising workers to do so, given the ministries’ assurances, Duke said it was precisely because he called for two days of rest and reflection that Imbert finally agreed to meet with him.

“Without us asking for two days, we would have gotten nowhere. I have written the Minister since November 2015. I’ve written several letters. He has refused to meet. He said the Minister in the Ministry Allyson West but now he’s coming because he recognises the gloves are off and it’s full-blown war,” Duke declared.

In a calmer tone, the PSA president called on Imbert to put in writing that workers “can be transferred according to their will (and) will not be subjected to any acid test” before they join the TTRA.