‘We red and suffering’

They marched from Tambrin Square through the streets of Scarborough to Market Square where the labour leaders spoke.

In addressing the small gathering, President General of the National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NUGFW) James Lambert said the workers of Trinidad and Tobago are suffering for having supported the People’s National Movement in the 2015 general election.

Even so, Lambert said the “bad governance” of the Dr Keith Rowley administration has united the labour movement once more.

“If you touch one you touch all. Some of them are ashamed to come out but I remembered, sometime in 2015 we were red and ready and on the 30th of June, we are now red and suffering.

We want them to know that we are suffering but at the same time, I want to say thanks to the honourable Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, we thank him for the bad governance of Trinidad and Tobago that he has united the labour movement,” he said.

Lambert stated daily rated workers are working on 2012 wages, as negotiations are yet to commence with Government.

“We are in the fourth year and we have a Government that believes that they could do their collective bargaining and negotiation on the PNM’s (People’s National Movement) platform.... We have sent in our proposals, we went to the CPO (Chief Personnel Officer) and we did all the non-cost items but as it reach to dollars and cents, the Government is not ready yet.” And as the cost of living goes up, “the suffering workers out there cannot get a fair share from the Government”, said Lambert.

On reports of plans to privatise Tobago’s Studley Park Quarry, Lambert assured workers they have no reason to fear.

“We will do every living thing in our power to ensure that the workers in Studley Park get their fair share and justice will be met as long as we are here, so they have nothing, absolutely nothing to be afraid of,” he said Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) president general Ancel Roget implored workers to join together warning they are “being targeted” by employers and Government.

“The employers have united, indeed, they have united with the Government to fight against all of the benefits that you have gained to fight you and therefore the only way that we can combat and defeat this attack is for us to come together in a common cause, a common purpose to fight all of those who are fighting against us,” said Roget.

He said workers also have to grapple with the impact of crime, the state of health care and “the issue of abusive power and bad governance”.

“The politicians have failed repeatedly, over and over again, disappointed the masses, promised gold and give you copper, promised the promise land and send you to hell, that is the modus operandi of the politicians.”