Chairman of the Confederation of Regional Business Chambers (CRBC), Vivek Charran, says he expects negotiations between Government and public sector workers will be guided by the fact that a proposed 10 percent hike is not set in stone.
Speaking on today’s edition of CNC3’s The Morning Brew show, Charran observed that the UNC's campaign promises to begin negotiations for public sector workers at 10 percent is not a guarantee of 10 percent or more being given to those workers.
He says it is an agreement to work towards a better negotiating point.
“The idea that you’ve just come into government and whatever is in the coffers has to be given immediately to the unions … I don’t see in reality how that happens,” Charran points out, “and I think the unions are a bit more sophisticated than that.”
The CRBC chairman says now that the trade union movement is actively engaged in both government and business, this should be reflected in the day-to-day running of public sector entities.
According to Charran, there has been a disconnect between government and businesses. He is hoping the inclusion of members of the trade union movement in the Government will augur well for businesses, especially for those in the public sector.
He says unions have sent a clear signal that they understand they, too, have a vested interest in the economy doing well.
“I think we all hope that this works out well for us,” Charran said. “That relationship we have with the unions, and the relationship the unions have with regard to productivity … The influence that unions have with regard to efficiency, particularly in places like the ports.”
“Given that they are now stakeholders in the Government themselves—the unions actually have representatives in the Government of Trinidad and Tobago in a real sense,” he points out, “[the hope is] it leads to good things.”
The CRBC chairman is advising the new administration to pay particular attention to food security and the agriculture industry.