PSA to decide next move in wage dispute after court hearing

President of the Public Services Association (PSA) Leroy Baptiste said he is awaiting his day in court on May 25 before deciding on the next move in wage dispute with government over its four per cent offer.

Baptiste said the PSA was looking at "the trap" set by government trying to force unions into a 10-year agreement that would have taken away their ability to collectively bargain from 2020 and beyond.

“Unions faced with not wanting to risk that (inability to negotiate for the specified period) signed off on the four per cent. What is happening is wrong, horrendous, but they had little choice.

“This is not a case of accepting the four per cent because somebody has come to a point of view that it is fair. It is being forced upon the various bargaining bodies because of that dilemma of being faced by a special tribunal imposing a 10-year settlement on them.

Whatever the Cabinet appointed special tribunal, chaired by former Point Fortin MP Larry Achong, presents to them when they meet on May 25, will be taken before its General Council for guidance and determination.

"We will be in court on May 25 before the special tribunal and we will take it from there.”

Fire Services Association has also been resisting the four per cent wage offer and president Leo Ramkissoon confirmed on May 19, “Nothing has changed for us at this stage.

“We are taking steps to ensure our members are fully apprised of the new developments and we will take instructions from them.

“Our time before the special tribunal will come up in short order and then we would treat with what is placed before us and respond accordingly.”

To date, Amalgamated Security, the Police and Prison Associations and the Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) have accepted the four per cent salary offer by CPO Dr Daryl Dindial for two periods of negotiations, 2014 to 2017 and 2017 to 2020.