Trade unions dying

Brent crude oil is US$56.46. TT crude fetches a much lower price than the above.

Please keep these figures in mind. Why are trade unions not compatible to modern day work forces here in TT? Would you want to work for a company that treats all their workers exactly the same, no matter how hard they work? How about one that promotes only on the basis of seniority and not merit? Trade unions negotiates collectively.

The same contract covers every worker regardless of their productivity, effort or lack of. In TT today collective representation makes little or no sense.

Machines perform most of the repetitive manufacturing tasks of yesteryear. Effective employers engage employees with individual insights and abilities.

Union negotiated, seniority-based promotions and raises feel like chains to workers who want to progress.

Trade unions often engage in acts of physical destruction, example vandalism, which is against the TT Trade Union Act.

Under The Industrial Relations Act, TT trade unions have been allocated too much power. Whenever decisions are made in the Industrial Court, the verdicts are more often than not supportive of the union. Trade unions are supportive of their members regardless of them being right, wrong or indifferent.

Trade unions make it virtually impossible to lay off under-performing workers.

Trade unions are deficient and lack tact and strategy.

They engage in badjohn, bullying tactics against their own members who feel afraid to work and compelled to follow the masses. There have been instances of damage to company property. Trade unions protect and shield members who are grossly incompetent at their job functions.

Trade unions fit more comfortably into government workplaces rather than the private sector. While ordinary trade union members take sun, rain and consume rice and fry potato, executive members ride in fancy vehicles to exclusive, expensive destinations and ingest steak. Trade unions employ bullying tactics at their members workplace when their primary function is to work. Speaking loudly is not the way to go.

Empty vessels make the most noise. The trade union members seem very musically oriented.

There is a second career in the making.

Maybe oil sector workers should join the essential services.

There is no more panic buying at the gas stations. The union, company and government are all on the same side. This is like a wrestling rerun. A certain union threatened and promised to shut down a certain oil company on the 4th of January, 2017. Then they had a change of heart in their wisdom, or lack of, and they have allocated us the 9th of January, 2017.

They that hesitate are lost.You want to strike, go right ahead make our day.

How about from the 9th January 2017 to the 1st March, 2017 both days inclusive? This is not about anti- worker but anti-incompetence.

Trade unions are on the final furlong.

AV RAMPERSAD Princes Town