PSA wants to meet with Saith on wages

She said the PSA now intends to meet with Public Administration Minister Lenny Saith on the issue of wage increases for public sector workers.

On the rooftop of the PSA building on Abercromby Street in Port-of-Spain yesterday, Baptiste-Primus told members of the media they have asked to meet Saith at 1.30 pm tomorrow at his office.

In a letter sent to Saith, the PSA, its members and public officers stated that they feel a sense of aggravation over the protracted delay in concluding their wage negotiations.

Baptiste-Primus said the association’s request for a 15 percent increase was a reasonable one, since they felt they had a right to share in the “enlarged economic pie.”

PSA’s first vice president Stephen Thomas said he felt the increases requested by the PSA would put public officers on par with their counterparts in the private sector.

“Public officers need to regain the standard of living that they enjoyed two to three years ago and this would in no way put them at an advantage over any other sector,” he added.

Baptiste-Primus said originally, via letter, the PSA had requested a 35 percent increase.

The last proposed increases made by the CPO she said, was 11 percent. Broken down, this would mean three percent in 2005, another three percent in 2006, and five percent in 2007. The General Council of the PSA did not accept that proposal.

When asked about the Central Bank Governor’s statement and many others who felt that wage increases would cause an inflationary spiral in the economy, Baptiste-Primus responded, “no one said anything when Cabinet ministers got an increase of 50 percent, the non-Cabinet ministers a jump of 40 percent and senior public officers, a hike of 32 percent.”

She also added that the Central Bank Governor and the CPO were both sitting “pretty” financially and were able to cushion the inflationary pressures and cost of living. She emphasised that public officers have no such cushion.

Baptiste-Primus said the PSA’s General Council will meet next week in special session to decide what action will be taken as their next step to obtain wage increases.