Fiery Oliver says more action to come

“No attempt to humiliate us will stop this fight. Anytime one hair of a teacher is touched for taking their legislative right, all hell will roll, injunction or no injunction. “It is the first time in this country that an injunction has been filed against workers and still we see here today that the same workers have found alternatives to carry on the struggle. Better days are coming, and we have to keep on doing what we are doing.” These were the fiery statements coming yesterday from President of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teacher’s Association (TTUTA), Trevor Oliver, who led a gathering of teachers on a march through the streets of Port-of-Spain.

The pouring rain in the city did not deter the 200 TTUTA members, who publicly aired their grievances with the Ministry of Education and what they considered to be poor offers made by the Chief Personnel Officer during recent negotiations between the Union and the Ministry. The march, which was originally scheduled to begin at 10 am did not get underway until about an hour later. With the rains showing no sign of letting up, the teachers gathered one behind the other, under the watchful eyes of police officers, and marched through the rain. The march took them along Independence Square North and South and up Abercromby Street and into Woodford Square. At the Square the teachers cheered loudly in support of statements made by their leader, Trevor Oliver.

Referring to negative comments made about the action being taken by the teachers, Oliver told the gathering of teachers, “People are saying that teachers are setting a bad example by marching and that it is not looking good for the children of the nation to see their teachers taking such action. What nonsense is that?” “TTUTA’s second Vice President, Orville Carrington, who is also in charge of Industrial Relations, told teachers that their negotiations with the Chief Personnel Officer were not making any headway at all. During the march the teachers chanted popular trade union songs, creatively demanding better wages, terms and conditions. Just as the march approached the National Library on Abercromby Street in Port-of-Spain, many children and parents gathered to get a glimpse of the protesting teachers.

Asked whether they agreed with their educators taking to the streets, many children admitted that they were not even aware of teachers protesting and what the action was all about. There was, however, mixed reaction from parents. In response to the well known Trade Union Marching song “Never Surrender” one parent shouted, “Is time for all yuh to surrender and go back to school and teach our children.” Another shouted that the teachers should be locked up for marching, while yet another said there was no problem in the teachers taking action, as long as they do it during the holidays.