UWI lecturers take 5% pay hike; PSA rejects 5%, holding out for more

The government of Trinidad and Tobago has settled wage negotiations with University lecturers but the big problem of concluding negotiations with the Public Services Association (PSA) remains unresolved.

And PSA President Watson Duke is saying he is not accepting what's on the table right now.

The West Indian Group of University Teachers (WIGUT) has accepted a five per cent increase for its members covering the period August 1, 2008 to July 31, 2011. A media release from the government said both sides signed the agreement Monday.

The deal ends weeks of protest action at the campus where lecturers had threatened to disrupt end of semester exams.

"This is exciting news, especially when taking into consideration the on-going wage negotiations involving the Chief Personnel Officer and the President of the Public Services Association." the release quoted finance Minister Winston Dookeran as saying.

Duke is not ready to accept that kind of deal for his thousands of members. "Our members are ill paid and we will not be accepting any five per cent," Duke told reporters Monday.

He added"The PSA will not be accepting that kind of offer. We will not be accepting five per cent, ten per cent or 15 per cent. The Government will be seeing a blue Christmas."

The government originally offered the PSA one per cent over three years. However it has increased it to five per cent over the same period.

Public sector workers are expected to hold another demonstration in Port of Spain Tuesday to press demands for better pay and improved working conditions.