At Labour Day celebrations on Sunday labour groups signed an accord on behalf of workers demanding that government remove the five per cent wage cap and disband the inter ministerial committee that replaced the PNM’s Public Service Negotiating Committee.
They also demanded:
- Government immediately place labour legislation high on its legislative agenda
- Immediately implement a process for constitutional reform
- Government immediately implement labour market survey in the TTUTA negotiation
- Government immediately commence process for the development of a land use and agricultural policy
- Reinstate all workers who have been displaced though no fault of their own
- Restructure and the review of the national youth policy
Moonilal told the media government has taken note of all the demands but also announced that the government is giving priority to three pieces of legislation to deal with “justice in the workplace”.
They are: The Industrial Relations Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Equal Opportunity legislation.
“We have taken note of the deliberations at Fyzabad and the issues raised by the labour leaders. All three pieces of legislations deal with the promotion of labour rights and justice at the workplace,” Moonilal said.
The minister also said Government is “working very hard” to maintain the collective bargaining process and wage negotiations as a means of promoting the welfare of workers.
Moonilal suggested that Government should adopt a tripartite approach to collective bargaining, in which the labour movement and the business community would be engaged to settle disagreements instead of “hard talk.”
He did not comment on the wage demands, leaving that for the labour movement, the Chief Personnel Officer and the Minister of Finance. However he said Government was committed to offering “non-wage settlements” including the provision of housing and lands, to supplement wage increases.
“Several of the trade unions involved in Sunday’s Labour Day march and rally are involved in discussions to provide housing and land, to supplement the wage proposals,” Moonilal said.
They are: The Industrial Relations Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Equal Opportunity legislation.
“We have taken note of the deliberations at Fyzabad and the issues raised by the labour leaders. All three pieces of legislations deal with the promotion of labour rights and justice at the workplace,” Moonilal said.
The minister also said Government is “working very hard” to maintain the collective bargaining process and wage negotiations as a means of promoting the welfare of workers.
Moonilal suggested that Government should adopt a tripartite approach to collective bargaining, in which the labour movement and the business community would be engaged to settle disagreements instead of “hard talk.”
He did not comment on the wage demands, leaving that for the labour movement, the Chief Personnel Officer and the Minister of Finance. However he said Government was committed to offering “non-wage settlements” including the provision of housing and lands, to supplement wage increases.
“Several of the trade unions involved in Sunday’s Labour Day march and rally are involved in discussions to provide housing and land, to supplement the wage proposals,” Moonilal said.
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