Deputy president of the Banking, Insurance and General Workers’ Union (BIGWU) Mario Als yesterday urged Central Bank workers to demonstrate their disagreement with the four per cent wage offer made by their employers.
“They must see and feel your disaffection, otherwise negotiations will break down and it will head to the Industrial Court,” he told workers gathered outside the Central Bank tower on Independence Square, Port-of-Spain, for a lunchtime meeting with the union.
Als told the workers they ought not to be afraid to wear red ribbons in protest over the state of negotiations for a new collective agreement as that is their right as employees.
“Wear your red ribbons. You have to send the message that you are not prepared to accept what is on the table,” he said.
Earlier, BIGWU President Vincent Cabrera, appealed for more support from the workers. He told them the union alone cannot fight for better salary packages
Cabrera, who expressed disappointment at the small turn out for the meeting, said: “ A lot of workers are of the view that they paying their dues so the union leadership must work some kind of magic and out will come the goodies for them to enjoy.”
He said despite increases in cost of living employers are reluctant to pay salary increases.
“Whenever we reach a critical stage in negotiations this bank always comes out and say all of you working for plenty money. The bank always saying you all overpaid,” he said.
He said even some members of the public were generally not in support of workers and their struggles as they often accused workers of “only wanting more money.”