$1.1M backpay for Tobago government daily-paid workers

MORE THAN 1,600 Government daily-paid workers in Tobago started receiving their backpay on Friday. The $1.1 million represents meal allowances for the years 1979 and 1980. Lydia Peters, President of the Tobago Division of the National Union of Government and Federated Workers which represents the workers said: “Decision to pay the money stemmed from an old agreement that had been properly applied in Trinidad, but was not implemented in Tobago, despite strenuous efforts by the union to have this done.” She said the union’s ability to resolve the grievance stood as testimony, not only to the NUGFW’s perseverance, but also to the support it received from the Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly, Orville London who acknowledged the debt left outstanding by the previous administration. Peters said it was more than 24 years that the union had been fighting for the benefit. Meanwhile, monies owed for 1981 through 1986, are being processed. Some $4 million overall in backpay, is expected to be paid out at the end of the exercise. The situation has been regularised for subsequent years and the workers are currently receiving the meal allowances due to them.