CWU concerned about TDC dissolution

On Thursday, Tourism Minister Shamfa Cudjoe announced at the post-Cabinet press briefing that Cabinet agreed to dissolve the company and establish two entities. One to focus on tourism in Trinidad and another for Tobago .

In a paid advertisement in today’s newspapers, the CWU says the decision “reeks” of anti-union, anti-worker tendencies .

“Months after the Union submitted its proposals for a new Collective Agreement for the workers of the TDC, the Government wants to now dissolve the Company and start over with two new entities. In effect, the Government would be denying those workers their right to have trade union representation, which they are legitimately entitled to have. The union says its secretary general Joseph Remy received a call from Cudjoe at about 1.14 pm on Thursday where she informed him of Cabinet’s decision .

The minister told Remy there would be a new regulatory body in response to a query about the status of workers of the bargaining unit adding that she would have to engage the union in subsequent discussions .

The CWU says that in January, the TDC commenced an investigation into the award of a contract to Beckles Environmental Services Limited on July 7, 2016 relative to drainage and associated works along the Maracas Bay car park .

A meeting was supposed to be held on March 6 to reveal the findings of the investigations but it was postponed .

The union is questioning the timing of Government’s decision which was done before the investigation into the award of this contract was revealed .

“We are left asking what would become of the findings of this investigation,” the union said .

The CWU advised the Government they would not “roll over and allow the workers at TDC to be trampled upon.”