2 bank unions merge

THE Bank Employees Union (BEU) and the Bank and General Workers Union (BGWU) formally launched their united trade union, the Banking Insurance and General Workers Trade Union (BIGWU) as they held their first Biennial Conference of Delegates on Saturday. Speaking at the launch held at Macoya, Tunapuna, the union’s president, Vincent Cabrera explained that the new union has embarked on a new mission of organising all finance and service sector workers under one banner.

In his address, Cabrera also touched on the recent budget which he described as a ray of hope as far as separate pension legislation is concerned. The union’s president also voiced total disagreement with the view expressed by recently resigned Chairman of First Citizens Bank, Ken Gordon.  Cabrera said: “We do not agree with divestment or privatisation. Economic and financial liberalisation have merged as hallmarks of strategies employed to facilitate globalisation. Selling off the gold and silver to the economic giants is excused away by bold assertions concerning the need to encourage foreign investment flows.” Attending the conference was a representative of the Ministry of Labour, who formally declared the two day conference open — and other union representatives from around the Caribbean.