Ministry threatens action against teachers

AS teachers gear up for today’s solidarity march and their days of “rest and reflection” tomorrow and Tuesday, the Ministry of Education is adopting a wait and see approach before any action is  taken. Communications officer in the Ministry of Education, Hilton Braveboy, told Newsday yesterday that “a warning has been issued, and action will be taken as necessary.” The Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) is rallying its members to show its disapproval at the “wage freeze” being offered by the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) Narieman Hosein-Ahmad. The union is locked in negotiations with the CPO over a new collective agreement for the 2002-2005 period. The CPO is offering no salary increases for the first year, a “minimal” three percent increase for the next 15 months to December 2004, and full market salaries for “Grades 3 and 4 only” from January 2005.

The General Council of TTUTA unanimously rejected that offer on Monday during an emergency meeting at the Chaguanas Junior Secondary School and has vowed to engage in more activities to show its disapproval. In a paid advertisement in yesterday’s newspapers, the union called on all teachers to “oppose this attempt at economic oppression” by joining in today’s solidarity march in San Fernando. Teachers are asked to wear red and assemble at the Chancery Lane Car Park for 11 am. They are also being advised to participate in the days of “rest and reflection” tomorrow and Tuesday. In the advertisement, TTUTA told members they should not be intimidated by anyone and their “leave entitlement is your right under the law.”

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Angella Jack, last week wrote the union warning them that “penalties” could be imposed on teachers who contravene Section 69:1 of the Industrial Relations Act. She reminded the union that teachers were part of the essential services, which included police, prison and fire services and could not take industrial action. She urged the union to approach the matter with great care and to avoid any teacher being placed in the awkward position of being in breach of the law. Meanwhile, Education Minister Hazel Manning is expected to leave for New Zealand this morning to attend a conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA). She is expected to be out of the country for the next ten days.