The Executive of Caribbean Labour Solidarity (CLS) issued the following statement concerning the unprecedented wave of industrial action sweeping the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago:
Caribbean Labour Solidarity wishes to make clear its support for the workers in Trinidad and Tobago. Workers, both blue and white collar, are in a massive struggle against a state which wishes to return them to a pre-trade union era, when workers had no rights and no trade unions.
CLS will always support those who are struggling against such draconian measures.
We call for the following in Trinidad and Tobago:
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- The recognition of all trades unions and their rights.
- The reestablishment of collective bargaining.
- The right of organised workers to withdraw their labour.
- The unconditional lifting of injunctions against the withdrawal of labour.
These are universal principles recognised in all civilised countries.
CLS will support the Trinidad and Tobago workers to the end of this epic struggle.
CLS has called for a picket of the Trinidad and Tobago High Commission in London on Friday 6 December 2024 at 1pm, 42 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8NT
The workers of Trinidad and Tobago are on the move. The port workers have shut down the country’s main maritime terminal in Port of Spain on a number of occasions. Electricity workers have taken action at four different locations on the island. National Petroleum workers, the workers responsible for the distribution of fuel across the country, are taking action. The pilots for Caribbean Airlines Limited have staged a protest at the airport. And at the University of the West Indies, the workers struck for day and shut down the campus.
There have been numerous demonstrations, the electricity workers even staged a candlelight vigil outside the home of the Minister of Public Utilities. They have also taken part in joint demonstrations with the port workers. The postal workers staged a protest march of 14 km from Arima Post Office to El Dorado, thence into Port of Spain the next day. Last Tuesday, in a show of solidarity and defiance, the port workers, electricity workers and postal workers staged a joint demonstration marching from the port to one of the electricity distribution plants, where they were joined by transport workers, as well as National Maintenance Training and Security Company workers and workers from the union representing flight attendants. The oilfield workers have staged a demonstration where they burned images of the Prime Minister and his associates.
So what is driving all of these protest actions? They are a response by the workers to the government’s aggressive neoliberal policy agenda, which has been systematically dismantling the social support infrastructure, including the plans to increase the retirement age to 65. They are systematically removing the rights of trade unions and breaking collective agreements. The government has also moved to remove consumer subsidies, but at the same time maintaining commercial subsidies. And then there are talks of removing subsidies on the utilities, water and electricity. There is more contract employment in the public service and in state enterprises now more than ever before, transforming the public service into precarious work.
After refusing to engage in collective bargaining, the Government has simply announced that it will be offering the public sector workers 4% over 6 years, 2014 to 2019. When the matter went to court, the chairman of the special tribunal, Larry Achon, threatened the unions that if they do not accept the government’s offer, he would impose 4% for 10 years instead of 6 years.
Then the government announced that they will accept a Salary Review Commission’s recommendation of large increases for government officials, including the Prime Minister himself, who will receive 47.2% increase and a 1 million dollars backpay
In response to this, last Friday night, the workers and their trade unions staged a protest action outside the Prime Minister’s residence and have announced a major national protest action to take place on the 7th of December.
Caribbean Labour Solidarity stands in full solidarity with the workers of Trinidad and Tobago and their trade unions. We are calling a picket outside the High Commission on Friday 6 December at 1pm. We urge all trade unionists and to come and show your solidarity with the workers of Trinidad and Tobago who are facing an unprecedented attack on the wages and conditions as well as a denial of basic trade union rights.
More details from:
info@cls-uk.org.uk