Carisa Lee
A counter-proposal has been offered by Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) Darryl Dindial to members of the T&T Police Service. It was made during their meeting with the CPO on Monday.
This was the fourth time both parties met and according to the president of the Police Social and Welfare Association (TTPSWA), acting Assistant Superintendent Gideon Dickson, “the offer was an improved offer.”
Dickson said the offer speaks to two periods and upon assessment of their membership two years ago, they decided to negotiate for 2014 to 2016 and 2017 to 2019.
He said, “So whereas before we were offered two per cent over an eight-year period (2014 to 2018 and 2019 to 2021), today we were given an offer of a four per cent increase for a six-year period – 2014 to 2016 – at two per cent and 2017 to 2019 at two per cent.”
He said they have two weeks to respond and in that time they will meet with their membership, as well as meet with the consultant, to crunch figures.
“We are taking everything into context and we will be examining all data available,” Dickson said.
Dickson said the membership asked for 15 per cent for the first three years – 2014, 2015, 2016 and 12 per cent in the next three years – 2017, 2018, 2019 and was the first group to meet with the CPO since the two per cent officer was made on May 19.
This two per cent offer triggered hundreds of public servants to protest through the streets of Port-of-Spain on May 27.
Dickson said he hoped this showed how serious his association is about getting value for police officers based on the duties they perform.
“At the end of the day, the narrative ought not to be that the police would have gotten what everyone else get because we are all under the public service banner and we have to accept it so,” he said.
He said the police provide an essential service and the last two years and a half showed that.
“Based on the fact that no one else can do what we have done and based on the fact that we have lost the most in compared to all other industries,” he said.
Dickson said they will be responsible in their response.
Daily-rated unions are expected to meet with the CPO tomorrow, the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association on June 17, Public Services Association on June 21 and the Trinidad and Tobago Prison Service Associations on June 24. —Carisa Lee
