Robinson-Regis: Labour should return to tripartite body

PLANNING Minister Camille Robinson-Regis, in a statement on Friday, lamented the labour movement's exit from the National Tripartite Advisory Council (NTAC) and urged it to return, for the country's benefit.

She began by saying news of the trade-union sector's withdrawal had been received with deep consternation.

Robinson-Regis said as recently as Tuesday, council members had met in the normal spirit of camaraderie, congeniality and objectivity, for an agenda of 30 detailed items in a meeting filled with expectation and optimism.

"The unexpected and sudden withdrawal of the labour-sector bodies from the council, without as little as a forewarning, has come as a shock to us all."

Robinson-Regis said next Monday the NTAC will celebrate its fifth anniversary, a milestone worthy of commendation, as the longest recorded attempt at tripartism in Trinidad and Tobago.

"To mark the occasion, we plan to bring the population up to date on some of the achievements recorded since the council’s inauguration.

"The withdrawal of the trade-union sector from this august body could not have come at a more inopportune time. In doing so, they have denied themselves the self-satisfaction of being advised first hand of the rewards of their own labour many of which are about to bear fruit."

She said at NTAC's 33 meetings, the labour representatives, like other members, had made immeasurable and invaluable contributions to the body's achievements over the past five years.

These included making recommendations to Cabinet to enhance productivity and the work ethic and to amend the Industrial Relations Act and the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act, discussing amendments to the Workmen’s Compensation Act, helping to craft the covid19 public-sector workplace policy and recommendations on covid19 special and pandemic leave, and helping establish an independent committee to resolve outstanding public-sector negotiations.

Robinson-Regis said establishing a national tripartite body was not a straightforward and smooth undertaking, bringing around a table party with low trust in each other, but high expectations.

"This takes time, patience and mutual understanding, which as a nation we must give NTAC the opportunity to exert as we engage one another in national development initiatives.

"So while we are not in any way dismissive of whatever may be the concerns of the trade-union sector, we are not ruling out the fact that the door is open for them to return to NTAC where they can be most effective and they symbiotically belong."

Robinson-Regis said NTAC was an independent institution but Cabinet reserves the prerogative to select the chair.

"To condone any one of the three partners withdrawing from the body without giving prior notice and justification to the other sector partners is therefore painfully disdainful of no institution other than itself. It is tantamount to a failure on its part, inadvertent as it may be, to live up to its own credentials as a sound and dependable contributor to national development.

"It is in this spirit of concern for the welfare and well-being of the sector that we invite them to resume their rightful place in NTAC and we await the opportunity to welcome them back into the organisation when the dust is cleared from their eyes and the vision for a brighter future for TT, on their part, is altruistically reignited."