PSA, 2 other unions still to meet with CPO over 2020-2022 agreements

SALARY-increase negotiations are ongoing between trade unions and the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) for the 2020-2022 period, but over two months after a mandate from the Minister of Finance, talks with three unions have not yet begun.

On December 11, CPO Commander Daryl Dindial told Newsday he had so far held meetings with the TT Police Service Social and Welfare Association, the TT Defence Force Pay Review Committee, the Prison Officers’ Association, TT Unified Teachers Association, the Amalgamated Workers Union, the Contractors and General Workers Union and National Union of General and Federated Workers.

He said he was yet to meet with the Public Service Association (PSA), the Fire Service Association and the All Trinidad General Workers’ Union “due to unavailability of parties on both the CPO and union sides due to other prior commitments.”

He described the negotiations as being “challenging but enlightening.”

“We are continuing.”

Asked to elaborate on the challenging and enlightening aspects of the process, he said: “The CPO won’t negotiate in public...I am unable to get into details.”

Fire Service Association president Keone Guy told Newsday it had not yet met with the CPO because of scheduling issues.

He said the CPO had reached out to the association for an inaugural meeting but he and the general secretary were out of the country on “prearranged appointments.”

He said the union was hoping to meet with the CPO on December 20, especially after receiving an offer on December 10.

“One day ago we received a correspondence from the CPO that he claims to be an offer. That offer will be presented to our central executive this coming Friday (December 13). After there, we would have a response for the CPO.”

PSA president Leroy Baptiste said he was awaiting a written offer from the CPO before they met. However, with the negotiations for the 2014-2016 and 2017-2019 periods still not settled and currently before the courts, the PSA president said those matters would need to be resolved too.

“The mere fact that it’s before the courts does not in any way preclude the parties to the negotiations...and trying to resolve it.

“That remains our position. We want to resolve the outstanding negotiations on behalf of the members we serve.”

Baptiste lamented that he did not expect much of a “negotiation,” as he believed the CPO would bring the five per cent increase for 2020-2022 the Minister of Finance announced in the 2025 budget on September 30.

Oilfields Workers' Trade Union chief education and research officer Ozzi Warwick said it negotiated directly with its members’ employers on salary increases. Despite this, he said some were insisting on getting a mandate from the CPO, who had no jurisdiction over their operations.

“We negotiate with the different enterprises, because that is what is on the recognition certificate. That is who our collective agreement is signed with.

“We do not negotiate with the CPO. Any mandate that has to come (to the enterprises) has to come from the line minister or the board. Not the CPO.”

He said because of this, many of the organisations had not yet met with the union even to begin negotiations.

He said the union represented workers from state enterprises like the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission, National Petroleum, the University of TT, the Youth Training and Employment Partnership Programme and National Quarries.