kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt
Remembering Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s promise to take care of healthcare workers, those at the Point Fortin Hospital made their voices heard on Wednesday, as they rejected the low wage offers from the Government.
Various trade unions represent workers at the South West Regional Health Authority, including some who fall under the Ministry of Health.
Patricia Jeromey, of the Unified Health Sector Workers, said she had to let the authorities hear her voice as injustices against health workers have been going on too long.
“We are the oil in the machine. Why should we accept one and two per cent, and do not tell me four per cent?” Jeromey asked workers.
She said politicians and business owners continue to progress while the workers who build the economy are struggling to pay bills, send their children to school and fight to eat because of high food prices.
While workers understand the economy is experiencing hardships, she said many countries face the same challenges. She said workers put the Government in place to care for the economy in hard times and prosperity. However, she said governments come and go and the issues remain the same.
“Since Saturday, so many of us coming up and we are saying enough is enough when we heard about this 1 per cent, 2 per cent, no per cent. We are here to say it is not good enough. We did our best. We came out during the pandemic. We struggled. We lost colleagues.
“The Prime Minister promised that he would take care of the healthcare workers. He said that the country must understand when he takes care of the healthcare workers,” Jeromey said.
Jeromey said Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) Daryl Dindial must understand that workers are not accepting less than they deserve. While she does not advocate for shutting down the country because people can die, Jeromey said the “powers that be would do what they have to do” if it comes down to a strike.
Jeromey said the Public Service Association (PSA) was not negotiating for regional health authority workers, a fight they had for some time. She said it was an issue since “cock had teeth.”
Corey George meanwhile said some employees could only afford $200 worth of vehicle fuel while politicians can tell the pump attendant to fill their tanks.
