PM meets with trade unions

Trade unions got the opportunity to tell Government the areas which should be given priority, and their views on achieving Government’s plan for developed country status by 2020 when they met with Prime Minister Patrick Manning at his Whitehall office yesterday afternoon.

Representatives of respective unions gave their concerns for areas in education, health, the industrial court, the aviation industry, public sector reform and legislative issues relating to workers’ compensation and pensions. Also at the  meeting was Minister of Labour Lawrence Achong and Junior Finance Minister Christine Sahadeo. A release from the Office of the Prime Minister said the meeting was the result of a Cabinet decision to appoint a team of Ministers to meet with trade unions on an ongoing basis to discuss Government’s developmental objectives and collaborate to achieve Vision 2020. President of the National Trade Union Centre Robert Guiseppi said the meeting follows a request made by NATUC two weeks ago for the reintroduction of the tripartite approach. Guiseppi said he told Manning that this arrangement should not be an ad hoc temporary arrangement but institutionalised with labour, business and Government involvement. “If there has to be national approach, the major stakeholders like labour, business and Government should come together. Institutionalise the whole arrangement and we can move forward.”

Guiseppi said at the meeting NATUC highlighted its concerns about economic and social reform and pensions. The “main concern” he said is poverty and full employment. “We link poverty with unemployment, crime, underemployment and low wages,” he said. NATUC is also seeking equity in the minimum wage. Manning was admonished against TT following the path of most developed countries and “slavishly” following the dictates of international agencies like the World Trade Organisaiton and the International Monetary Fund. NATUC is against privatisation of State-owned enterprises and said this has been responsible for poverty and crime. Guiseppi said TT is currently going through the “social cost.” President of TT Unified Teachers’ Association Trevor Oliver said he “made a plug” for proper financing for education. Prime Minister Manning described the meeting as “fruitful” and said it validates Government’s view that trade unions have an integral role to play in the consultative process.