Moonilal has arranged the discussions in his capacity as one of the Deputy leaders of the United National Congress (UNC).
The MSJ has outlined 10 points that it wants the People's Partnership to address by May 24 as a condition of staying within the partnership.
The party is one of the five members in the coalition. However it does not have any member in the House of Representatives.
Labour Minister Errol McLeod, the MP for Pointe a Pierre contested the 2010 general election as a member of the UNC although at the time he was the leader of the MSJ. McLeod resigned recently to focus on his ministerial responsibilities and Abdulah took over the leadership.
Abdullah, who is a government Senator, finds himself in the awkward political position of being the general secretary of the Oilfield Workers' Trade Union (OWTU) and also the leader of the MSJ.
The OWTU had been most vocal in denouncing the government, even stating that it wants to ensure that the partnership does not win the next election.
The MSJ has outlined 10 points that it wants the People's Partnership to address by May 24 as a condition of staying within the partnership.
The party is one of the five members in the coalition. However it does not have any member in the House of Representatives.
Labour Minister Errol McLeod, the MP for Pointe a Pierre contested the 2010 general election as a member of the UNC although at the time he was the leader of the MSJ. McLeod resigned recently to focus on his ministerial responsibilities and Abdulah took over the leadership.
Abdullah, who is a government Senator, finds himself in the awkward political position of being the general secretary of the Oilfield Workers' Trade Union (OWTU) and also the leader of the MSJ.
The OWTU had been most vocal in denouncing the government, even stating that it wants to ensure that the partnership does not win the next election.
At the same time Abdullah has been speaking on the partnership's platforms praising the work of the government and endorsing the leadership of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
On the other hand the OWTU has been condemning Persad-Bissessar, saying that she has betrayed the labour movement.
The MSJ comprises mostly trade unions, who have been urging the party to consider forming a labour party to contest the next election, noting that the largest single constituency in the country is labour.
On Sunday the MSJ met and issued its conditions for staying with the coalition.
Abdullah's remarks contradicted his own pro-government statements. He told reporters, “the Government attacked the trade unions by way of the attempt to impose a one-size-fits-all wage cap of five per cent which, had it succeeded, would have undermined the free collective bargaining process.”
He added, “We are not prejudging, but we do think that two years into the partnership is a significantly long enough time for us to fulfill the commitments which we made to the population of the country in the Fyzabad declaration and also in the manifesto.”
Abdulah said the MSJ's 10 issues are:
On the other hand the OWTU has been condemning Persad-Bissessar, saying that she has betrayed the labour movement.
The MSJ comprises mostly trade unions, who have been urging the party to consider forming a labour party to contest the next election, noting that the largest single constituency in the country is labour.
On Sunday the MSJ met and issued its conditions for staying with the coalition.
Abdullah's remarks contradicted his own pro-government statements. He told reporters, “the Government attacked the trade unions by way of the attempt to impose a one-size-fits-all wage cap of five per cent which, had it succeeded, would have undermined the free collective bargaining process.”
He added, “We are not prejudging, but we do think that two years into the partnership is a significantly long enough time for us to fulfill the commitments which we made to the population of the country in the Fyzabad declaration and also in the manifesto.”
Abdulah said the MSJ's 10 issues are:
- Settlement of negotiations in a fair and equitable manner consistent with the free collective bargaining process
- Fair share of State resources to communities and the equitable distribution of jobs
- Reduced rights of land tenure and massive increase of lease rates to farmers without consultation
- Governance: process of constitution reform and local government reform, addressing state sector governance, cutting all forms of discrimination, political victimisation, corruption, nepotism and patronage
- Getting rid of the odious system of contract labour in the public service and state sectors
- Privatisation, especially of Petrotrin (Trinmar’s acreage) and First Citizens
- Advancing the agenda of Labour Law reform
- The protection of the livelihoods of fisherfolk
- Implementing the cultural sector agenda, as committed to in the manifesto
- Establishing a policy position so as to stop the use of force by the Police Service to frustrate, intimidate and stop the legitimate and peaceful activities of civil society, including peaceful protest action by workers and the rights of the media
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