PM: Unions essential

THE Prime Minister on Tuesday instructed that “all labour activities” should be designated an essential service under the covid19 public health regulations.

A tweet from the Office of the Prime Minister said Dr Rowley gave this instruction “with the cautious reopening of commercial activity and in anticipation of increased working business activity in the coming days.”

The OPM said the regulations will come into effect immediately, on the publication of the relevant regulations on Tuesday. Labour activities were previously not listed as an essential service under the regulations.

Dr Rowley subsequently explained to Newsday what “all labour activities” meant. He said, “It means monitoring the work force and representing workers in the work place. That’s what union reps do on a daily basis (not just create strife and call strikes).”

Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus also weighed in on the inclusion of labour activities as an essential service, saying,” We wanted to allow trade unions to be essential.”

At a news conference at the Diplomatic Centre on May 9, Rowley announced a phased reopening of business as TT charts its course through the covid19 pandemic.