THE EDITOR: After almost two years since reaching agreement with the Communications Workers Union (CWU) on the Telco/TSTT pension plan, and the company’s failure to implement the agreed payment of a minimum monthly pension of $3,500; and to pay a three per cent increase in annual pensions to retirees, TSTT has summoned the CWU to a meeting scheduled for Friday.

Hundreds of Telco/TSTT pensioners and in particular, the most vulnerable amongst them, are hopeful TSTT will transition from a position of intransigence and indifference to the socio-economic plight of its pensioners and follow the lead of the Minister of Finance, who has proposed an interim monthly pension payment of $3,500 to retired police officers.

Only last week, the TT Police Retirees Association publicly welcomed the announcement by Finance Minister Colm Imbert in the Parliament of the interim monthly pension payment.

Minister Imbert indicated that the measure was intended to bring some measure of relief to the retired officers of the TTPS.

The Committee of Concerned Pensioners of Telco/TSTT (CCPTT) has been calling on TSTT's executive management to utilise a portion of the almost $1 billion surplus in the Telco Pension Plan to bring relief to the most vulnerable Telco retirees, many of whom receive less than $1,000 in monthly pensions.

The CCPTT is also hopeful that TSTT will be influenced by Minister Imbert’s announcement with regard to the TTPS retirees and be guided by Government’s policy on pensions and offer relief to Telco retirees and pensioners.

IAN JAY CLARKE

Trincity

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