Chin Lee intervenes in lifeguards strike

TOURISM Minister Howard Chin Lee is expected to meet with lifeguards today to discuss their ongoing industrial action over increased salaries. The minister’s intervention follows two consecutive weeks of strike action by the lifeguards, as they withheld their services at the nation’s beaches. Lifeguard Kirk Morton told Newsday the minister requested a meeting for today at 10.30 am at his Frederick Street, Port-of-Spain office. He said the meeting was welcomed, as the next meeting with the Chief Personnel Officer is scheduled for December 20. Morton said at the last meeting on December 1, documents were submitted to the CPO on their demands for a new grading and salary increase.

Responding to claims that they were putting people’s lives at risk by withholding their services, Morton said it is not an action they want to continue, but they must get their message across to the authorities. He noted that even doctors, who provide an essential service, have embarked on protest action. He said they were also concerned about the offer by the ministry to casual workers, to pay them double and triple time for working during protest by normal lifeguards. The lifeguards began protesting two weeks ago to show their dissatisfaction over their grade five  classification, which lumps them with other daily rated workers like foremen, masons, plumbers and carpenters. The lifeguards receive $171 daily, but are asking for $260 daily and to be classified separately.

An advertisement placed by the ministry over the weekend in the press states that talks have not broken down between the lifeguards and the CPO, adding that at last week’s meeting between the two, it was the first time the lifeguards presented proposals for new wages. The ad also stated that the lifeguards’ demand for a $260 daily wage had implications as far as classification within the grading and wages schedule was concerned. It said the highest salary under the schedule was $234. And as a result, the lifeguards will actually have to move out of  the presently agreed on schedule, which is a lengthy process.

The ministry reminded in the ad that the Cabinet recently approved three new posts within the Lifeguard Services Unit, which are lifeguard patrol captain, lifeguard instructor and lifeguard community education officer. It said a verbal agreement was reached between the National Union of Government and Federated Workers Union (NUGFW) and the CPO at last week’s meeting. The ministry also warned that because of the lifeguards’ actions, the general public should exercise caution when visiting the beaches, more so since the seas are rough with strong currents during December and January.