Otto Carrington
Senior Reporter
otto.carrington@cnc3.co.tt
The National Trade Union Centre (NATUC) and the National Union of Federated Workers Union (NUGFW) have expressed their dissatisfaction at the 2024 Budget.
At a press conference in Port-of-Spain yesterday, NUGFW President General James Lambert, who represents the largest union for daily-rated workers, said the union had expected to see more favourable provisions.
One of the primary concerns raised by Lambert was the increase in the retirement age. He argued that Finance Minister Colm Imbert should have established a contributory pension plan specifically tailored for daily-rated workers.
Currently, daily-rated workers are required to work up to age 60 and his union supports the increase in the retirement as it would assist his members
Lambert said in 1991, during the administration of former Prime Minister Patrick Manning, there was an agreement to adjust the retirement age for daily-rated workers with the intention of providing them with a pension. However, more than two decades later, those workers are still waiting for the promised pension benefits to materialize.
“In August 2022, we received a letter from the Finance Minister’s Permanent Secretary, indicating the formation of a committee named the Facilitates and Implementation Planning Committee. We had approximately four meetings. I am a member of that committee, and Mr.Streete is another member. The ministry sent representatives, along with other unions and stakeholders, representatives from the Chief Personnel Office, and the Ministry of Public Utilities were also part of the committee. It is a very large committee, and in the budget speech for 2023, not one word was mentioned,” Lambert said.
He pointed out that the NUGFW represents workers in central and local government as well as the Tobago House of Assembly who have been affected by the lack of implementation.
“You’re not even asking what has happened to what was in the previous two budgets. We didn’t hear anything, and nothing has come into fruition, so we are still here, and they owe that to us because they have signed on the principle. All the documents are there and they have been given to them in the current administration,” he said.
NATUC President Michael Anisette was critical of what he described as deceptive tactics aimed at enticing workers. He said the announcement of a billion-dollar payment for public sector workers is merely a strategic manoeuvre. He said despite the sizable financial allocation, it is not the workers who are benefiting from this initiative.
“I want you all to understand that and not be fooled by the fact that it’s a billion dollars for back pay for Christmas. I ask a question, why for Christmas? We don’t often ask ourselves these questions. What is the reason for giving that money for Christmas? Do you know the psychological effect of that? Who will benefit when you pay that money for Christmas? We should think about it, but we have a crisis,” he said.
The NUGFW is expected to continue their legal action at the Industrial Court aver wages and other matters in their collective agreement.