A tribunal hearing the Prison Officers’ Association’s argument for a better wage offer than the CPO’s four per cent will meet in a final sitting on Friday at the Industrial Court in Port-of-Spain.
Thursday marked the second day of a three-day special tribunal in a matter between the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) and the POA.
The association is before the court after rejecting the Government’s four per cent wage increase offer.
Last year, the referrals to court were made by Finance Minister Colm Imbert in his winding-up of the 2022/2023 budget debate.
The tribunal panel at the Industrial Court was led by Judges Larry Achong, Vincent Cabrera and Heather Sealey.
Senior Counsel Seenath Jairam appeared on behalf of CPO Daryl Dindial, while Courtney Mc Nish is representing the Prison Officers Association (POA).
The hearing continues today.
Speaking to Guardian Media, Jairam said, “The tribunal is mandated when giving an award in respect of any memorandum of three years to make an award for five years. So, even though it was or it has expired for three years, the court cannot give an award for three years. So, even if it is going to final adjudication, it means that we would have to give the two expired agreements 10 years.”
Preliminary points were raised in the tribunal, with both sides presenting arguments and former POA president Ceron Richards being cross-examined on his statement to the tribunal.
Four trade unions are seeking to settle the dispute between themselves and the Government over its four per cent salary increase offer for public servants.
Standing in solidarity with the Prison Officers Association, Fire Service Association president Leo Ramkissoon, whose matter will also come before the tribunal, said, “I don’t want to pre-empt that decision-making process at all. I just want to say as well that, in addition to our own membership, we also have implications and the impact of any decision we make would have on our other comrades across the labour movement, and of course, those things we have to give consideration to all of those things.”
Economist and UWI Professor Roger Hosein will be called as a witness today.
After the three-day tribunal, both parties will submit submissions for judgment, which the tribunal said will be handed down within three weeks to a month.