MTS workers frustrated

This follows a protest yesterday morning outside MTS’ head office in Aranjuez, where dozens of workers demanded completion of negotiations, which have reached an advanced stage after two years of meetings.

The Transport and Industrial Workers Union (TIWU) represents MTS daily and monthly paid staff, exclusive of the security division staff. Speaking with Newsday, TIWU President General, Roland Sutherland, explained that the decision to gather outside the CPO’s office was made after MTS Chief Executive Officer, Lennox Ramrattansingh, informed the union yesterday afternoon that MTS cannot sign off on the collective agreement until it’s approved by the CPO. “When we met MTS management a month ago (September 20), we agreed to accept their offer of a ten percent salary increase, (which) they first made back in September 2015 shortly before the general election.

“We told MTS to draft an agreement and bring it to our next meeting on September 29 but management cancelled that and has not set up a new meeting since.” Sutherland explained “this is what prompted today’s (yesterday’s) protest __ the workers; mainly women who are single parents, are getting very ‘tizic’ (very upset) that talks might (stall) after we finally reached agreement on everything.” Workers having been informed that forward movement depends on the CPO, not MTS management.

Sutherland told Newsday this is why they intend to meet outside Lewis’ office at about 9 am tomorrow.

“MTS workers will gather outside the CPO’s office in their numbers on Friday to ensure that the CPO does what she’s supposed to do.”