Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is meeting Tuesday with trade union leaders who had written tio her demanding that government remove the five per cent wage cap among other things.
When she wrote to the unions last week inviting them to the meeting she made it clear that it was not to be a negotiating session since that is not her role.
"This...must not be misconstrued as anything but a desire for achieving a mutuality of understanding and, please be assured that I will do all that I can to protect the interest of our nation," Persad-Bissessar wrote.
"As Prime Minister, I strive to make decisions that are always in the best interest of all citizens of Trinidad and Tobago. Therefore, we can agree on one thing, in your own words, that "no effort should be spared to have the country's productive forces collectively focus on moving the economy forward". In this context, as I have always indicated, I am prepared to meet with the Unions' leadership.
"However, this should not be interpreted as part of any negotiations since it would never be my intention to subvert the Collective Bargaining process. The government has demonstrated its willingness to be flexible and will maintain this stance but the leadership of the Unions should equally acknowledge that as Prime Minister I cannot agree to any pre-conditions for a meeting.
A statement from the Government Information Services Limited (GISL) Monday said, "It is expected that these discussions will take place in an atmosphere of cordiality, in which both sides can engage constructively, on the challenge of building a dialogue, on the issues that the labour leaders have defined.
"These issues include the compensation packages for workers in the public sector, the state of the economy, and the implications for national development."
A spokesman for the unions, OWTU President Ancil Roget, has insisted that the labour movement will insist on removing the wage cap of five per cent.
When she wrote to the unions last week inviting them to the meeting she made it clear that it was not to be a negotiating session since that is not her role.
"This...must not be misconstrued as anything but a desire for achieving a mutuality of understanding and, please be assured that I will do all that I can to protect the interest of our nation," Persad-Bissessar wrote.
"As Prime Minister, I strive to make decisions that are always in the best interest of all citizens of Trinidad and Tobago. Therefore, we can agree on one thing, in your own words, that "no effort should be spared to have the country's productive forces collectively focus on moving the economy forward". In this context, as I have always indicated, I am prepared to meet with the Unions' leadership.
"However, this should not be interpreted as part of any negotiations since it would never be my intention to subvert the Collective Bargaining process. The government has demonstrated its willingness to be flexible and will maintain this stance but the leadership of the Unions should equally acknowledge that as Prime Minister I cannot agree to any pre-conditions for a meeting.
A statement from the Government Information Services Limited (GISL) Monday said, "It is expected that these discussions will take place in an atmosphere of cordiality, in which both sides can engage constructively, on the challenge of building a dialogue, on the issues that the labour leaders have defined.
"These issues include the compensation packages for workers in the public sector, the state of the economy, and the implications for national development."
A spokesman for the unions, OWTU President Ancil Roget, has insisted that the labour movement will insist on removing the wage cap of five per cent.
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