Cabrera wants Duke to demand payout for all

President of the Banking, Insurance and General Workers Union (Bigwu) Vincent Cabrera is calling on president of the Public Service Association (PSA) Watson Duke to negotiate for all public servants in his (Duke) call for Finance Minister Colm Imbert to make an advance payment of $10,000 to all 15,000 members of the PSA.

He said it equated to half of the 14 per cent owed to public officers as a means of restoring purchasing power.

Cabrera said while Duke was asking for an advance payment, he was not seeking to negotiate on behalf of his (Cabrera) workers and public servants who are still working on 2010 salaries.

He said Duke must negotiate for all workers to receive the same treatment and negotiations are still outstanding.

“We have made several attempts to begin the negotiations. He is always busy, he always has some meeting in Tobago. He does not have time to deal with the workers.

“We feel they should call him and ask him what is his response to that, because what is good for the goose is good for the gander. You can’t be asking the State to make a certain movement in terms of PSA members – and that is fine – but what about the people who work with you and who have been working since 2010 without any increase in salary,” Cabrera asked.