[UPDATED] TTUTA: Settle salary negotiations

COME September, if the TT Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) salary negotiations are not resolved, there will be a disruption in the school system.

During a protest outside the Chief Personnel Officer’s office on Wednesday, TTUTA president Lynsley Doodhai said the general council felt the association is being disrespected by the government.

“We needed to make a statement...outside the CPO’s office with members of our general council, which comprises about 60 teachers.

“Going forward in the new school term, come September, the general council has already approved a course of action. If salary negotiations do not commence, what we will have happening is an escalation of the public protest by TTUTA.

So, instead of calling out the general council there will be greater numbers that will be called out.”

Doodhai said the action may or may not happen on the first day of the new school term, but teachers would be seen out on the streets marching or being asked by TTUTA to engage in rest and reflection. He said there are various options available, including work-to-rule. Doodhai said the protest has nothing to do with the Ministry of Education, but the CPO, who is responsible for negotiating terms and conditions for teachers. He said the protest is to signal the association’s dissatisfaction over the failure to start negotiations for 2014-2017.

“We have submitted our proposal since November 2015, which is almost five years ago. To date we have not had the courtesy of a counterproposal to what we proposed. “Despite many meetings and enquiries about the status of those proposals, we have not gotten any positive answers in respect to the commencement of the negotiations.”

Doodhai said the association had a meeting with the CPO on January 4, and was told that by February of this year a counterproposal would be submitted. But, he said, the CPO continues to maintain that the Minister of Finance has not given any instructions or a mandate to start negotiations with TTUTA.

“Two weeks ago we wrote the Finance Minister to ascertain the status of the negotiations and whether in fact he would have given the instructions to the CPO.

We are awaiting a response from the CPO.

“If by the end of this month there is no response, we intend to approach the Industrial Court to file an industrial offence in respect to the employer failing to meet and treat with the association.”

Doodhai lamented that in 2019 teachers are working and living on 2014 salaries, and since the last settlement in December 2014, teachers’ standard of living has fallen while the cost of living has risen. “Prices of food has gone up, fuel was increased three times and teachers are at a disadvantageous position. They feel frustrated, demotivated and angry.

“We have been told repeatedly the Minister of Finance is still to issue instructions to the CPO with respect to our negotiations,” he added

This story was originally published with the title "TTUTA: Settle salary negotiations" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

Come September, if TT Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) salary negotiations are not resolved, there will be a disruption in the school system.

During a protest outside the Chief Personnel Officer's office today, TTUTA president Lynsley Doodhai said the general council felt the association is being disrespected by the government.

“We needed to make a statement today outside the CPO’s office with members of our general council which comprises about 60 teachers.

“Going forward in the new school term, come September, the general council has already approved a course of action. If salary negotiations do not commence, what we will have happening is an escalation of the public protest by TTUTA. So, instead of calling out the general council there will be greater numbers that will be called out.”