Imbert: Government awaiting tribunal ruling on 4 % wage offer

Finance Minister Colm Imbert said the government is waiting on the judgment of a special tribunal of the Industrial Court on its four per cent wage offer to public sector trade unions.

He was responding to a question from Naparima MP Rodney Charles in Parliament on Friday which queried whether government would reconsider the four per cent offer considering reports of discontent from the unions.

Imbert said, “Having been unable to reach agreement with public sector trade unions for collective agreements for the period 2014 to 2019, the matters were reported as unresolved disputes to the special tribunal of the Industrial Court in October 2022.”

“It should be noted that under the Essential Services Division of the court is the special tribunal established by the Civil Service Act Chapter 23:01. The tribunal hears and determines disputes in the civil service, the police service, the fire service, the prison service, the teaching service, the supplemental police and the Central Bank. The special tribunal consists of the chairman of the essential services division of the Industrial Court and two other members of that division selected by the chairman. The government now awaits the hearing and determination by the tribunal of these disputes.”