Gonzales: Potential breach in WASA agreement if Duke does not step down from PSA

PUBLIC Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales said there will be a potential breach of the bargaining agreement between the Public Service Association (PSA) and the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) if newly appointed deputy Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Watson Duke does not step down as president of the union.

In a brief interview with Newsday on Sunday, Gonzales said Duke may be in violation of the article 37 of the collective bargaining agreement between WASA and the PSA.

On Tuesday, a PSA memo circulated on social media telling members its executive had unanimously decided that "all benefits and remuneration assigned to the position of the sitting president...for the residue of the duration of his presidency will cease. However, the president would continue to carry out his constitutional duties in keeping with the PSA constitution."

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi also wrote to THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine on the constitutional implications of Duke's appointment to the assembly. He said Duke had to choose one or the other.

WASA's board and management are also review Duke's contract with the authority. He holds the position of assistant manager of employee relations and had been granted no-pay leave from WASA.

Gonzales told Newsday, as he understands it, Duke was given no-pay leave from his position to perform full time union duties at the PSA.

“If he is no longer performing full time, by virtue of the THA, that may potentially be a breach of that arrangement that the authority (WASA) will have to address at some point in time. I will leave that matter to the board and executives.”

On Tuesday, Duke was also given an ultimatum by Augustine to choose between the PSA and THA.

On Friday, he said he gave Duke a three months deadline to leave the union.

"Mr Duke himself is working on severing ties with his union. He just doesn't feel the best way to do that is just to cut it off immediately, and that there should be a stepped approach to doing so."

Augustine said once Duke has severed all ties with the union, he will reconsider whether to give him a portfolio in the THA.