Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) president Ancel Roget made a clarion call last evening to their members to unite as they mobilise to take their fight against social ills and other injustices facing the population to the streets of Port-of-Spain.
Roget was the final speaker at JTUM's evening of prayer and discussion at Palmiste Park, San Fernando, which attracted hundreds of members from various trade unions.
Roget said hardships were being brought on workers and ordinary people, and the time has come for them to stand up. "If we did not say anything else, we want to end by saying no. But not just saying no, we must be prepared to back that up. We want to say no to any increase in fuel cost in this country. We want to say no to any increase in electricity cost in this country. We want to say no to the removal of any subsidy in this country. We want to say no and to say stop selling out state assets, state enterprises and privatising them and putting workers on the breadline. No to force vaccination," Roget declared.
Trade union members at Palmiste Park, San Fernando, on Saturday.
KRISTIAN DE SILVA
Calling on the members to put aside political affiliations, Roget said they need to take their fight against those injustices to the seat of power.
Roget said that the time for talk was over, and there must be no "cosmetic unity" as they forge ahead. He called on social activists, public servants, retrenched workers and ordinary people to heed the union's call.
The event kicked off around 2 pm with prayers and remarks from various religious leaders, social activists and trade union leaders.
Dubbed Unite to Fight, Resisting attack on rights of workers, the event took on the atmosphere of a mini Labour Day celebration with music, flags and banners.
The event was held under the watchful eyes of a large contingent of police officers, but there were no incidents reported.