[UPDATED] FRIDAY FIGHTBACK – Unions plan response to Government's 2% wage increase offer

COMPLETELY ignoring the Prime Minister's call for public-sector workers to remain calm and be patient, unions are gearing up to take the fight against the government over its wage increase offer to the streets on Friday.

The National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NUGFW) has called on government workers to stay away from work and come out in a mass protest through Port of Spain.

This move is part of NUGFW’s plan to shut the country down as a sign that it rejects the two per cent wage increase offer by the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) for the negotiating period 2014-2021.

Last Thursday CPO Dr Daryl Dindial's counterproposal saw no increase for 2014-2017, one per cent for 2018, no increase for 2019-2020 and one per cent for 2021.

On Friday unions vowed to teach the government a lesson for what they described as total disrespect for the working class.

On Sunday, at a press conference at Piarco on his return from Guyana, Dr Rowley urged the workers to be patient and consider that there were no job cuts throughout the covid19 pandemic.

He said the intention was to balance any wage increase with public debt, using money from the $1.98 billion surplus, and further advised workers to “try and not get derailed by wanting more from less.”

In a tweet on Sunday, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said the CPO's current offer would cost taxpayers $350 million in back pay and an additional recurring annual cost of $300 million.

At the press conference, Rowley told the workers and their unions that “reason is required and patience is an essential ingredient” as some words of advice.

But even after this public call for unions to consider all the factors, NUGFW announced on Facebook on Monday that it will flood the streets on May 27, from 9 am.

At an emergency press conference last Friday NUGFW president-general James Lambert said over 20,000 workers are expected to gather to send a strong message to the government.

After a meeting, that same day to plan the next move, the union on Monday morning called on all daily-rated and monthly-paid workers, health and corporation workers, workers at the Water and Sewerage Authority, Public Transport Service Corporation workers, MTS and all others disappointed by the CPO’s offer to gather at Memorial Park.

“We need numbers, we need each of you in the most epic march to organise our strength and end wage slavery. United we stand in the fight for our freedom,” the union said.

The march will move west around the Queen's Park Savannah, turning left onto St Clair Avenue and left onto Alexandra Street. From there, protesters will turn left onto Tragarete Road, turning right by Green Corner onto St Vincent Street to Independence Square at the Cipriani statue. The group will then move to the Brian Lara Promenade and gather opposite the Eric Williams Financial Complex (Central Bank) for a public rally.

Minister of Communications in the Officer of the Prime Minister Symon de Nobriga told Newsday he was hopeful workers would ignore the calls to gather, as he said such “extreme action” was unnecessary.

De Nobriga echoed the Prime Minister’s call, adding, “I hope cooler heads prevail. I hope we would respect the process and allow it to transpire instead of rushing to this extreme behaviour…I don’t see that mass protest is a responsible response.”

Union leaders, however, told Newsday the Prime Minister's comments on Sunday had only made the situation worse and aggravated workers even further. National Trade Union Centre (NATUC) general secretary Michael Annisette interpreted Rowley’s comments as a threat to workers – a threat he said would be taken seriously.

“This continuous threat, when he said, 'No jobs were not cut during the pandemic, and workers should consider that,' is insensitive. It won’t work.”

Public Services Association (PSA) president Leroy Baptiste said he was confused by Rowley’s advice to aggrieved workers.

“What does he mean for us to have patience? We have been waiting from 2014-2022."

He asked Rowley to say, “Who do you know could be more patient than workers waiting for their increase and what is owed to them nine years?”

But while the PSA is ready to summon its 80,000 members to “pound the pavement,” other unions are yet to decide whether they will call on their members to come out on Friday.

Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association executives told Newsday they would announce the union's decision after Monday night’s general council meeting.

TT Registered Nurses Association president Idi Stuart said his union was reluctant to act before a proposal was brought before it for nurses, doctors and midwives. Negotiations for this group of workers are done through the various regional health authorities' CEOs, and not the CPO. Stuart could not yet say if health-care workers would be a part of Friday's planned protest.

Since the CPO’s wage increase announcement, Prisons Association head Ceron Richards hasn’t said much on the issue, except that the offer is unfair. He could not be reached for comment on Monday.

When contacted on Monday for a comment on police readiness for the planned mass protest, Deputy Commissioner of Police Administration Joanne Archie told Newsday the Police Commissioner had not yet received any formal request from the NUGFW.

Minister of Labour Stephen Mc Clashie could not be reached for comment.

This story was originally published with the title "Unions plan to shut down country on Friday over wage offer" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

The National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NUGFW) has called on public-sector workwers to stay away from work and come out in a mass protest on Friday in Port of Spain.

This move is part of NUGFW’s plan to shut the country down as a sign thatit rejects the two per cent wage increase offer by the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) for the negotiating period 2014-2021.

Last Thursday CPO Dr Daryl Dindial's counterproposal saw no increase for 2014-2017, one per cent for 2018, no increase for 2019-2020 and one per cent for 2021.

On Friday unions vowed to teach the government a lesson for what they described as total disrespect for the working class.

After meeting on Friday afternoon to plan the next move, NUGFW announced via Facebook on Monday that it would flood the streets with up to 20,000 public servants on May 27 from 9 am.

The union called on all daily-rated and monthly-paid workers, health and corporation workers, workers at the Water and Sewerage Authority, Public Transport Service Corporation workers, MTS and all others disappointed by the CPO’s offer to gather at Memorial Park.

“We need numbers, we need each of you in the most epic march to organise our strength and end wage slavery. United we stand in the fight for our freedom,” the union said.

The march will move west around the Queen's Park Savannah, turning left onto St Clair Avenue and left onto Alexandra Street. From there protesters will turn left onto Tragarete Road, turning right by Green Corner onto St Vincent Street to Independence Square at the Cipriani statue.

The group will then move to the Brian Lara Promenade, and gather opposite the Financial Complex for a public rally.

This story was originally published with the title "Unions plan to shut down country on Friday over wage offer" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

The National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NUGFW) has called on public-sector workers to stay away from work and come out in a mass protest on Friday in Port of Spain.

This move is part of NUGFW’s plan to shut the country down as a sign that it rejects the two per cent wage increase offer by the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) for the negotiating period 2014-2021.

Last Thursday CPO Dr Daryl Dindial's counterproposal saw no increase for 2014-2017, one per cent for 2018, no increase for 2019-2020 and one per cent for 2021.

On Friday unions vowed to teach the government a lesson for what they described as total disrespect for the working class.

After meeting on Friday afternoon to plan the next move, NUGFW announced via Facebook on Monday that it would flood the streets with up to 20,000 public servants on May 27 from 9 am.

The union called on all daily-rated and monthly-paid workers, health and corporation workers, workers at the Water and Sewerage Authority, Public Transport Service Corporation workers, MTS and all others disappointed by the CPO’s offer to gather at Memorial Park.

“We need numbers, we need each of you in the most epic march to organise our strength and end wage slavery. United we stand in the fight for our freedom,” the union said.

The march will move west around the Queen's Park Savannah, turning left onto St Clair Avenue and left onto Alexandra Street. From there protesters will turn left onto Tragarete Road, turning right by Green Corner onto St Vincent Street to Independence Square at the Cipriani statue.

The group will then move to the Brian Lara Promenade, and gather opposite the Financial Complex for a public rally.