Callender to Duke: Leave PSA office or else

LEAVE the Public Services Association’s (PSA) office now, or you all will be held accountable for holding office unlawfully.

This was the stern warning to PSA president Watson Duke and his team from chairman and PSA presidential candidate for Team Sentinel, Nixon Callender.

Callender also called on Minister of Finance Colm Imbert to discontinue any meetings with Duke, saying he was occupying the PSA unlawfully.

At a press conference yesterday at Altom Building, Pembroke Street, Port of Spain, Callender said under the PSA by-laws, barring any extenuating circumstances why an election cannot be held on the date fixed by the general council, the executive shall have 90 days after the day set for the elections to vacate office. He said the period ran from November 27 last year to February 25 this year.

“No employer is under any obligation to meet and treat with the PSA.

“The PSA is bound to honour its own rules and it is not honouring its own rules. The employer can chose not to meet and treat because the PSA is being run illegally.

“We are also calling on the registrar of trade unions to descend upon the PSA and conduct, what we call, a robust audit of the PSA. We will not allow the PSA to end up like
Hindu Credit Union (HCU) or CL Financial.”

HCU and CL Financial collapsed due to mismanagement of funds.

“We are concerned about the workers of the PSA and those who are on the breadline at this time.”

Callender said neither Duke nor anyone from the PSA is authorised, in accordance with PSA’s bye-laws, to terminate the services of any worker.

“From November 27, 2017 to date, two membership clerks of the PSA were sent home.

“Duke and his team have terminated an additional nine members of staff over the past five weeks. The PSA is currently acting on illegal grounds.”

He called on all members to take a personal interest in what is taking place at the union.

“Two of our collective agreements have expired, our job evaluation exercise never began, the issue of the agricultural officers is still outstanding, the PSA has hit rock bottom because at this time we do not have a lawful executive in office but a group of people who have invaded and is occupying the PSA. I want you the members to speak out against this travesty and therefore your voices should be heard. If your voices are not heard on this matter, the employer is taking due notice of your inaction.”