WORKERS of the Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA) who are part of the National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NUGFW) trade union, say they do not need permission from any senior official of the union including general secretary James Lambert, to stage any protest and stand up for their rights.
This comes after a protest on Tuesday morning by daily-paid CDA workers outside the company's headquarters. The workers are demanding better workplace infrastructure and an end to outstanding issues over sick leave bonuses, among other things.
But the CDA later said it was "quite surprised" by the protest as it was “already in discussion with the union towards bringing resolution to current matters.”
The CDA also said NUGFW general secretary Lambert also had no clue about the protest.
Lambert confirmed to Newsday that he was “taken aback” when he heard of the protest, as, “there’s a process to these things. When you go and do things on your own and they backfire, everyone is affected.”
He said these plans (to protest) must go through senior union officials. He said he would look into the matter.
[caption id="attachment_1009481" align="alignnone" width="1024"] NUGFW general secretary James Lambert. FILE PHOTO -[/caption]
Speaking to Newsday on Wednesday morning, the union's general branch grievance officer for the CDA Stephen Richardson said Lambert "doesn't have to give his blessings for a general branch to protest.
"We don't have to get that. We have meetings with the executive and the workers called for it."
He also insisted they informed the union of the protest by calling the head office and were asked to provide videos of the it.
In its press release on Tuesday, the CDA said its management is “ready and willing” to meet with these workers. Richardson said they wrote to the management two weeks ago and are still to receive a response.
"And that's the disrespect we are facing. Saying you will speak to us is one thing but then you are not replying."
The CDA also said a meeting was held in November at which workers agreed to give their general manager a list of infrastructural issues. “To date no list has been received,” it said. But Richardson said this was untrue and that a list was sent with management asking for a "few tweaks" to be made.
When told of the members' response, Lambert told Newsday this was arrogant behaviour.
"If, for whatever reason, they end up operating outside of the law or protesting during working time when they should be working – without the permission of the representative union – and they (the CDA) gives them notices for suspension, who has to defend them? Not the union," Lambert asked.
He said if the workers think a protest is necessary, "they need to indicate that to us. When they put their jobs in jeopardy, it's we who have to see after it. That is just arrogance."
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