Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) general secretary Ozzi Warwick says he expects “a good response” to the call for citizens to protest the Cabinet’s acceptance of the 120th Salaries Review Commission’s (SRC) Report today.
JTUM has called for members and the public to show their dissatisfaction with the Cabinet’s decision, which paved the way for wage increases in the thousands for senior State officials, including Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, President Christine Kangaloo, all members of parliament and judges, during a protest outside Whitehall today from 9 am.
Asked if the protest was the introduction of a greater political push to oust the PNM-led Government, Warwick said no.
“Our intention is to provide a space for citizens across all party lines. So tomorrow (today) s also for PNM people who are not happy with what must be considered as a grave injustice, where many workers are struggling to make ends meet and the Government accepted recommendations for hefty increases in their salaries. That has nothing to do with party politics, that has to do with fairness and justice that we feel is not being meted out to workers and citizens.”
Last Saturday, Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union president general Ancel Roget called supporters of the People’s National Movement hypocrites for not speaking out against the increase.
But at a PNM screening days later, on Monday, some PNM supporters said they were not in favour of the proposed increases.
The 120th SRC report states that the Prime Minister’s salary will move from $59,680 to $87,847. There will be an accumulative backpay payout of $150 million for top State officials.
The Prime Minister has said that the SRC recommendations were accepted by Cabinet.
Several Opposition members, including Dinesh Rambally, Wade Mark, Rudy Indarsingh and Chaguanas Mayor Faaiq Mohammed, said they will be joining the protest.
The Public Services Association has also called on its members to join.
