Days of wine and roses are now over

THE EDITOR: When one looks at the cable channels, it is quite obvious that the days of wine and roses have come to an end for the big countries – the end of a particular era in the development of mankind.

Every single country will have a price to pay. Because TT is a Carnival-style place our description best suits saying that life is going to be a bit of Danse Macabre.

We cannot turn the clock back. The days of getting away with half-done work because your trade union leader can be creative with words are over. For TT to prosper, only those citizens truly serious about working will find employment. The distinct possibility of having salary increases based solely on performance appraisals for all government-paid employees is the only reality. The Government will have to become the hardest of the hard taskmasters, or just collapse.

Realistically, it appears inevitable that international labour relations will have to be reinvented. Huge swathes of the business sector will be starting from scratch. A new understanding will have to be forged between employer and employee.

Businesses, in all their manifestations, will not allow themselves to be held to ransom. Employees will consist of the bare minimum needed and only the very best qualified need apply. One would have to embrace technology if a business must prosper.

The maximum leader-type of trade unionism as practised in TT will have to die on the vine. Membership will be much smaller because of the changed direction. More technology, less real people, less money deducted in dues. Forget about grandiose lifestyles for over-ambitious union leaders.

Worldwide, after covid19 only the strong will have survived this international viral predator. Those days of wine and roses will have ended, for everybody.

LYNETTE JOSEPH

Diego Martin

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"Days of wine and roses are now over"

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