PSA continues to reject 4%, challenges Industrial Court

THE Public Services Association (PSA) has rejected an offer by Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) Dr Daryl Dindial of a four per cent pay hike for 2014-2019 that is now before a Special Tribunal of the Industrial Court.

A PSA statement on Wednesday said the union's General Council had met in a special meeting last on June 22 and had voted on two resolutions.

Firstly, by a vote of 73 per cent "for" and 23 per cent "against" and three per cent "abstain, the PSA's council had voted to continue to reject the CPO's four per cent offer.

Secondly, with 77 per cent "for" and 13 per cent "against" and ten per cent "abstain," the council voted in line with the advice of Douglas Mendes, SC, to seek judicial review of the Special Tribunal's decision to impose a ten-year settlement on the PSA.

The statement said, on June 21, Mendes had asked the Special Tribunal if a ten-year judgement imposed on other unions would be applicable to the PSA, and after hearing arguments from both sides the tribunal had replied yes.

The PSA concluded, "We will continue to keep you updated on any further developments.

"Your union stands as a collective force and it is through unity that we can shape a brighter future for all civil servants in TT."

On May 17, TTUTA head Martin Lum Kin said the teachers' union had accepted the four per cent offer, which had also been accepted the Prison Officers Association and the Police Social and Welfare Association. The Fire Services Association has not accepted the four per cent offer.