The National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NUGFW) has sent a warning to Chief Personnel Officer Daryl Dindial that he must come up with an acceptable offer or be taken before the Industrial Court.
The union, which represents daily paid public sector workers, met with the CPO last Monday, where it was offered a four per cent salary increase proposal for 2014 to 2019.
Yesterday, however, NUGFW president James Lambert told Guardian Media that this was rejected outright. He said that as a counter-proposal, the union has taken off its request for 25 per cent and has told the CPO they will now accept “something reasonable.”
For Lambert and his members, that means a double-digit figure.
He added that they have also placed on the table a proposal for retired union members to get at least a one-off payment.
With these recommendations, Lambert said the ball is now in the CPO’s court.
“He (CPO) said that he has to go back to his superior based on what we put on the table, so we will give him adequate time, a week or two, and failure to respond, we will take it to the court,” Lambert said.
Lambert also explained that “if there is not (an offer), he will definitely call us back and say they have rejected what we have placed on the table, so even then you consider that the negotiations have broken down and when negotiations are broken down, you head to the court.”
The NUGFW was one of six unions/associations to meet with the CPO last week.
All of them, except the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA), have been given the same four per cent wage increase offer.
This is because TTUTA negotiates using a market survey format.
However, the Fire Officers Association (FOA), Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Social and Welfare Association (TTPSSWA), Prison Officers Association (POA) and the Public Services Association (PSA) have all rejected the offer and have deemed it disrespectful.
Concerning any possible action unions and their members could take, they have all indicated to Guardian Media that they will await a new mandate from their respective memberships before moving forward.
On Friday, PSA president Leroy Baptiste said, “We will now have to embark upon all that a trade union can do to continue advancing a strong position on behalf of its members and that is as much as I can say on that.”
In fact, anger over the wage negotiations prompted trade unions to move a vote of no-confidence in Rowley and his Government during labour Day celebrations on Sunday.
In his Labour Day message, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said if public sector wage negotiations are eventually settled at more than eight per cent, back pay alone could cost the Government over TT$5 billion.
Rowley said the offer of four per cent over a six-year period (2014-2019) will cost the Government $2.5 billion in back pay up to June 2022, and they are committed to a further $500 million annually, just for the civil service, teaching service, Defence Force, protective services and daily-rated workers.
