CPO considers new offer for teachers

CHIEF PERSONNEL Officer Narieman Hosein-Ahamad last week cancelled her meeting with representatives of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA), in order to meet with her superiors on a reported new offer. TTUTA officials told Newsday that Friday’s meeting was cancelled by the CPO and a new date has not yet been fixed for the next meeting. They said the CPO was reportedly working on a new offer to the union and needed to consult her superiors on the matter. TTUTA and the CPO have been negotiating for a new collective agreement for the period October 2002 to September 2005.

However, the union is not satisfied with the offer made by the CPO, which was no salary increase for the first year, a minimal increase of 3 percent for the next 15 months to December 2004, and full market salaries for Grades 3 and 4 only, from January 2005 for the last nine months of the agreement. TTUTA has rejected the offer, describing it as a “wage freeze” for the three year period October 2001 to December 2004. Teachers have engaged in a number of days of “rest and reflection” and marches to show their disgust. They have vowed to continue the struggle although schools are closed.