Radhica De Silva
Senior Multimedia Reporter
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
President General of the OWTU Ancel Roget has vowed that workers who held out against the Government’s four per cent wage offer will start new negotiations at 10 per cent once the UNC wins the General Election.
Speaking at a campaign meeting held at Vickars carpark in the Moruga constituency on Thursday night, Roget slammed the PNM for what he called a betrayal of workers across the country, especially in critical state sectors like Petrotrin, T&TEC, the National Insurance Board and the ports.
“You see the unfair, unjust, wicked 4 per cent two by two, with no consolidation of (Cost of Living Allowance) COLA for that period, for all of the unions who stood up in defence of a fair wage… those unions who did not accept the four per cent... negotiations will start at 10 per cent.”
Roget also reminded Petrotrin workers of the suffering they endured under the PNM’s decision to shut down the refinery.
“Don’t ever forget, what they did to you… if it’s one group of workers who should vote them out resoundingly for the atrocity that was done on them, it has to be Petrotrin workers," Roget saiud to loud applause.
He continued, “Remember how they take away your medical plan while Rowley fly outside to Miami to get the best medical care? Remember how they put your pension in jeopardy? And also remember how some of you almost lost your houses. Don’t forget that.”
On the COVID-19 response, Roget said: “You recall something called mandatory vaccination… Rowley and Stuart Young said if you did not take vaccine, you would have no jobs. That was their response to COVID… after some 5000 plus deaths, which they mishandled, you had to fend for yourself.”
He said it took the intervention of “social movements, trade unions, and the help of the United National Congress to push them back with the mandatory vaccination they wanted to impose on the country.”
Roget also dismissed claims that his union failed to support communities. “Let me just say tonight for the records, with the limited resources that the union has, in spite of them trying to kill the union… we don’t give out hampers. We gave out scholarships to needy people in Trinidad and Tobago.”
Promising change, he said, “We will do anything necessary to bring about good representation for our members… even if we have to remove a wicked PNM government and put a UNC government in place. We will do that.”
He pointed to growing support for the UNC in traditional PNM strongholds.
“They thought La Brea and Point Fortin were PNM safe seats… they are no longer safe seats. If there’s anything safe about those two seats, those two seats will be safely in the hands of the UNC.”
Turning to workers’ rights, he emphasized the need for legislative change.
“We were discussing the issue of the workers agenda, which has to do with labour legislation… you all brought pieces of legislation to the Parliament over the past 10 years but not one of those (legislation) represented workers.”
He promised reforms for several worker groups.
“T&TEC workers… your negotiation is going to start at 10 per cent. Postal workers – job evaluation. NIB workers – implementation of the 9 per cent. Port workers – 12 per cent. All of those things were agreed upon already.”
He ended his speech with a warning to the PNM.
“Evil has a shelf life. Evil destroys itself. Evil must come to an end. Trinidad and Tobago will be rid of the evil of the PNM on the 28th of April.”
