CWU vs TDC in Industrial Court

Agreement on the date emerged after a case management hearing on Tuesday between the parties at the court. The union’s secretary general Joseph Remy said that following the hearing, there is an expectation the company would not continue to fire workers.

However, the union will file an injunction within the next few days, seeking to prevent the TDC from terminating contracts until conclusion of the substantive matter.

Remy said there is an issue regarding the dissolution and the right of shareholders. He said once the company intends to interfere with workers’ contracts it is obligated to dialogue with the union. The union, Remy said, indicated to both the Industrial Court and TDC management that the latter has violated the Industrial Relations Act (IRA) and such a violation must be resolved via the courts.

He reminded that the union has told Government it wants to submit an alternative plan for the TDC and the tourism thrust of Trinidad and Tobago. He said the union already has a preliminary draft of that plan and two Tuesdays ago, asked government for two weeks to present its plan outlining the way forward, “For a restructured, re-engineered and properly governed tourism development structure that will ensure our tourism policy and tourism thrust really gains traction.” Remy revealed that the company has asked for time to consult with its shareholders and Corporation Sole relative to applying principles under the IRA as regards the TDC’s dissolution.