—Communications Workers Union
president, Joseph Remy.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has warned it will be soon starting a political campaign against the Government because of alleged political interference in its issues with the Telecommunications Services of T&T (TSTT).

CWU president, Joseph Remy, in an interview last week recalled that at Labour Day celebrations in Fyzabad on June 19 earlier this year, the union had announced its plan to join civil society groups to form a vanguard movement to seek better governance in T&T. “We’re going to start holding public forums at various locations very soon to educate people on the Government’s actions against the working class and trade unions,” Remy said.

“There is a plan by the Government to break all unions that are carrying an independent line and that are not aligned to them politically.” Remy said since 1976, the CWU had been carrying an independent line. “And, since then, we have been subject to attacks from the Government. “We’re not Communists and we’re not just doing this to force the Government to give us what we want. We just have a deep social conscience.” Remy said the CWU was expecting a backlash from the Government over their political campaign. “We’re expecting the heavy arm of the State, like what we got on July 7 at TSTT’s office. And we’re expecting them to frustrate most of our collective bargaining.”

‘It’s collusion’

The CWU is convinced that there was some level of collusion between agents in the hierarchy of the People’s National Movement (PNM) and TSTT officials to cause a delay in the resolution of the suspension of 72 workers and the issue of wage negotiations. “When you look at the players involved...”

Remy said the union came to the conclusion after what it sees as an “engineered delay” in resolving the issues. “The whole delay was engineered to allow TSTT to proceed with disciplinary action against the suspended workers and to make a claim that the union was involved in illegal industrial action.” Tracing the chain of events that led to the conclusion, Remy said the CWU had asked for the intervention of Prime Minister Patrick Manning in the apparent protracted delay. Seventy-five workers were suspended with full pay three days after they had a physical struggle with TSTT security guards outside the company’s Edward Street, Port-of-Spain office on July 7.

The workers had gone to deliver a letter to TSTT Chief Executive Officer, Roberto Peon, when the struggle ensued. Three of the workers were reinstated while the rest remained on suspension. “As far as we understand, Manning directed Dr Lenny Saith, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, to handle the matter with despatch. “We felt the matter would be dealt with in a week’s time. We were informed they would commence discussion on Thursday 13. “But this was too late. TSTT had already taken action against the workers,” Remy said.