PM Kamla writes unions, will provide details Tuesday

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has written to each of the unions that wrote to her on July 7 giving her two weeks to deal with several issues raised by them, including a demand that the People's Partnership remove the five per cent cap on wage increases.

She also telephoned Ancil Roget, president of the Oilfields Workers' Trade Union, to tell him about the letter.

However Persad-Bissessar did not release details of the letter.

Communications Minister Suruj Rambachan confirmed Monday night that the PM has written to the unions. Roget also confirmed that Persad-Bissessar telephoned him.

He said members of the unions, whose signatures were on the letter to the Prime Minister, will also receive the same response.

Rambachan stated in a media release, "As a matter of protocol and courtesy to the union leaders, the contents of the letter will be made available to the nation tomorrow (today) after it has been delivered to them."

Trade Unions have threatened to shut down the country if they don't get a favourable response to their demands. And they have said they will not negotiate with anyone but the Prime Minister. For her part she has said that she is not a "negotiator".

The demands include:

• The removal of 5% wage cap and settlement of all outstanding negotiations 
• Disbanding and removal of the Inter-Ministerial Committee 
• Placement of labour legislation high on Government's agenda 
• Constitutional Reform and immediate implementation of the Labour Market Survey for TTUTA 
• Commencement of a land use and Agriculture Policy 
• Reinstatement of all displaced workers on account of the non-renewal of their contracts 
• Restricting of the Project Implementation Unit and review of the National Youth Policy