Tuesday February 9th, 2010
- Last update:13 hours 55 min ago
After moves to decertify unions...
Labour movement plans massive protest
Published: 30 Sep 2009
The trade union movement is planning a massive response to the recent moves by the State to pressure the working classes and break down the trade union movement, said Roland Sutherland, president, Transport and Industrial Workers Union (TIWU).
Sutherland said the movement is mobilising its members and executives of both trade union factions are meeting to develop a strategy to force government’s hand and protect the interest of its members and the country’s working classes. “What this experience has shown is that the trade union movement needs to be more organised as the other stakeholders in society are well organised and are seeking their own interests. “The government is only concerned about the needs and demands of the middle classes and the rich, but nothing is being done to protect the interest and well-being of the workers and the poor. “All the development is being focused in the capital, while people living in central and south Trinidad have to make do without water, with poorly maintained roads, inadequate infrastructure and now the repressive property tax regime.
“The Labour Minister was well aware that the substantive issues behind the strike were the health and safety of the workers when we held the protest at Public Transport Services Corporation (PTSC), but he went ahead with the injunction forcing the workers back to work without dealing with the mosquito infestation. “We met with them in good faith, but all the while they were talking with us, he knew that the State was going to file the injunction—regardless of the result of the talks. “This shows that the State was involved in the plan to undermine the labour movement and the Labour Ministry which was placed to protect the interest of labourers, is actively working to bring us down,” Sutherland said.
“The minister cannot say they care about the workers and the travelling public, and still force us to work in those conditions where our lives are at risk. “The workers have taken a decision to immediately stop overtime and they will be protesting anyway they can until their comrades are returned to work. “Those 13 workers were sent home without the benefit of a hearing to appeal or to provide an explanation for the reasons for their actions. This is unfair, without due process and it is illegal, and although the courts will eventually throw it out, the situation is putting the workers through intense hardships that are uncalled for.
An organised attack
Vincent Cabrera, secretary general of the National Trade Union Centre (Natuc), said the dismissal of workers by the Telecommunications Services of T&T (TSTT), the PTSC and the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) was an organised attack on the workers, the concept of collective bargaining and the trade union movement.
He said Natuc supports the work of the three representing unions to have their workers reinstated. “Natuc will join with other groupings to mobilise against the organised actions by employers in the State sector since their action have abrogated the human rights of the workers concerned.”
Protecting workers’ rights
He called on Government to amend the Industrial Relations Act to bring the legislation into compliance with the fundamental International Labour Organisation conventions to protect worker rights. “The efforts being made to decertify TIWU and CWU as the representative trade unions at PTSC and TSTT, respectively, if successful, will mean the termination of collective bargaining for thousands of workers employed with the public utilities.”
“The decision of these employers is a reflection of the policy of the government, since State sector boards of directors carry out the policy of the line minister responsible for the utility.
“If the unions are decertified, it would mean that those workers would have no trade union to bargain on their behalf. This is a violation of the ILO convention that protects the right to organise and the freedom of collective bargaining.” Cabrera said according to the terms of the convention, government, employers and workers’ organisations have committed themselves to the promotion of collective bargaining. The government and its public utility employers, by their actions, are seeking to repress collective bargaining.
He said the dismissal of the workers without due process is also a violation of ILO Convention No 158, which states that the workers must be given an opportunity to defend themselves before an employer takes dismissal action. “WASA, TSTT and PTSC have applied the backward doctrine of ‘dismissal at will,’ where the employer is free to dismiss workers without giving them a proper hearing.”
Do not succumb to the
Do not succumb to the bullying, inciting and intimidating tactics of these trade unions. This is their normal behaviour - to incite and rally support and then bully and intimidate.
They are now finding themselves in a position where their 'power' is under threat (no one like to loose power), so they will fight to hold on to this power and at the same time protect their interests (union dues), the workers interests comes second, and they couldn't be bothered about the actual organisations performance and financial situation (this is what I am led to believe from their past and current actions).
These trade unions current practices are archaic and are impacting on the stability and longterm survival of organisations. Look at the past Caroni (1975) Ltd, the trade unions had a big part to play in its financial ruin - through their continued bombardment of unrealistic demands, and inciting workers to down tools at every opportunity, thereby affecting operations.
A good way forward would be:
Legislative reform to modernise trade union practices and activities, and move towards continuous legislative reform to directly influence, shape and support best practice in Human Resource Management by organisations.
DO NOT SUCCUMB TO THE
DO NOT SUCCUMB TO THE -
Do not succumb to the bullying tactics of management.
1) Negotiations always three years late.
2) Increases quickly gobbled up by increased taxes and prices.
3) Workers are laid off to save money, and then management give themselves outrageous perks and bonuses.
4) When the company is making obscene profits, workers seldom benefit.
5) When profits drop workers are the first to have benefits cut.
6) Theft and embezzlement by management is covered up.
7) White collar crime is the last to be detected.
"Unity is strength ,
"Unity is strength , together we stand ; divided we fall" .
The ILO has an office in Port-of-Spain and the govt of T&T should be told , in no uncertain terms , that what they are doing is wrong - the health of the workers is very important . To decertify Workers Unions for representing their members is wicked and all the good people of T&T should show solidarity with the protests against this action . The Caribbean Congress of Labour should also join the protests against the action of the govt in this matter . Why should workers be made to work in an unhealthy building ?? ATW - Barbados .
Now is the time for all
Now is the time for all Trade Unions to get together more than ever to protest like hell against this decertification. If this isn't done then all that was done by Cipriani and Butler would be in vain.
What was done by Cipriani
What was done by Cipriani and Butler was fitting for that era and was beneficial within the existing context. The era for that type of trade union style and practice has since passed.
Management theory and practice has evolved drastically within the last years and the environmental pressures on organisations are constantly increasing, however the legislative framework within T&T has not evolved sufficiently to support and influence these changes.
Trade union practices in their current state in T&T is not suited for the times we live in and has to be reformed and modernised. Current practices impact negatively on an organisation's longterm survival within these fragile and competitive environments - and workers depend on the survival of these organisations for a wage. Within this context trade unions should therefore be championing the workers cause as responsible business partners.
Current practices just lead to an attacking/defensive/antagonistic working environment where good employee relations between the organisation and worker is not forged and encouraged, there are divided loyalties within this pluralist perspective. Workers cannot really be happy in this type of environment. What we see happening now is a reaction to a history of bad relationships and antagonism. A continuous struggle between organisations and trade unions and their membership.
That is why I say legislative reform is needed to reform and modernise trade union practices and also provide an effective framework in which best practice in management could be influenced and supported, and in which both the worker and organisations rights are protected and best served. Obviously things would not always run smoothly and that's where a professional, responsible and well informed trade union would lend support.
As well as this, regulatory and concilliatory bodies should be established to monitor and ensure accountability and transparency and assist organisations, trade unions and workers as necessary.
MANAGEMENT THEORY PRINCIPLES
MANAGEMENT THEORY PRINCIPLES AND THEFT -
Check out the executives on Wall Street and the ponzi schemes. Check out the billion dollar bonuses even when the companies are in financial trouble. Check out where the bail out money comes from, the workers on Main Street. Check out the 8 billion and counting bailout of CLICO. Now the government has to raise everyone property taxes to pay their bills. Check out EXXON and the false declaration of profits. The old capitalist ways have pauperised us. The great US are now borrowing from Socialist China. If they are the so called experts in Management Theory and they got it so wrong, do we still follow them blindly to another debacle. Crisis after crisis we defer to these experts of superior intellect. Someone running a parlour would not make such rudimentary mistakes. Their only motivation is GREED. "GREED IS GOOD" this is the new GOD. The system is designed to enrich a few at the expense of the many. The ratio of 10 percent of the people owning 90 percent of the wealth must be maintained. The rest are just platitudes.
Brilliant, So Right, the
Brilliant, So Right, the wits of a true fox that has wisdom, lol.
Old deals don’t last forever there is a time when we must break those deals and move on to benefit, or we will have no progress in life, no evolution. Every transaction must come to an end.I think a good way to move on is to lock up Manning and Hart.
Fairplay my argument is for
Fairplay my argument is for legislative reform and systems that will facilitate responsible behaviour from all stakeholders, not to emulate US managment practices, as in my opinion they are not worth emulating.
If you are satisfied with how things are in T&T - the negativity and ongoing warfare between organisations and trade unions, the continuos cycle of foolishness, that's your freedom of choice.
But I must point out that change is inevitable, nothing is constant, the only thing constant is change itself. As Albert Einstein pointed out "it is not the strongest or smartest that survives but the ones that are most adaptable to change"
This will be my last contrbution on this issue for the time being, until there is something credible to respond to.
Said that a while back, we
Said that a while back, we need laws and we need to fix the system hiring practices, we need the elected government to only be able to govern the system and not control it with political support, the political system in our country and the supporters are widely understood now, In Trinidad and Tobago there is nothing like responsible behavior, we even spoke about this yesterday in one of my treads, change is inevitable, but change has its enemies as we have been seeing, find out who are the stake holders are and you will find our enemies of change.
In a country as small as Trinidad and Tobago the fixes of larger nations are not an option; the labor movement is needed in Trinidad and Tobago to keep a balance.
But we can have no such reform under Manning watch or it will only benefit the PNM and Manning plans of becoming the first EP of TT, and set the clock back 40 or so years.