OILFIELD Workers Trade Union (OWTU) president general Ancel Roget said unions are demanding government put an end to all contract work in the public service, fully and finally settle all negotiations, reopen those where unions had to accept four per cent and pay workers their true worth.

Roget was speaking at a media conference at the Transport and Industrial Workers Union (TIWU) on December 3, where he was backed by representatives of the Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union (SWWTU), Prison Officers Association (POA), Communication Workers Union (CWU), Industrial, General and Sanitation Workers Union (IGSWU), the National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NUGFW), Estate Police Association (EPA) and the TT Postal Workers Union.

The union heads threatened to stage countrywide protests over the prime minister's acceptance of the recommendations of the Salaries Review Commission (SRC), which – if implemented – would see the Prime Minister's salary increasing from $59,680 to $87,847 – a 47 per cent increase.

The next protest is set for in front of Dr Rowley's office, Whitehall, on Saturday.

Roget said the Caribbean Solidarity Union in London would picket TT’s High Commission in London on Friday in support of the trade union movement in TT.

Roget said this government had failed at its job to ensure a good quality of life for the population over the ten years of its tenure.

“I can’t say that a proper performance appraisal of the government would see them get a raise in salary.”

He said the government was weaponising the courts, especially the essential services division of the Industrial Court, and using it to implement injunctions against protesting workers.

Roget said the unions are not prepared to take the PM’s statement that he did not know if the SRC’s recommendations were fair.

“The SRC is sanctioned and selected by Dr Keith Christopher Rowley, so he gave unto himself. When asked if it was fair, he said it didn’t matter if his salary goes up, his pension goes up and he gets his salary as his pension, while there are public servants looking to retire who are getting up to $5,000 as their pension,” Roget said.

He added if public servants stopped working, the country could not run.

SWWTU president general Michael Annisette said people need to make a distinction between government as government and government as employer. He said as the latter, government has to accord rights to workers, as listed under the Industrial Relations Act.

“They have people working under 2010 salaries and we have seen a level of interference through the courts. We need to coalesce our powers as workers, rather than falling into the trap of thinking the government will take us out of the morass we are in.”

Annisette said in some cases, the four per cent offer resulted in workers’ salaries being reduced by 25-28 per cent, as the offers had not factored in the current cost of living and inflation.

TIWU president Shawn Roberts said this government was starving the Public Transport Service Corporation by