Postal workers stage protest - Trinidad

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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TTPOST workers staged a protest both in Trinidad and Tobago demanding that Finance Minister Larry Howai intervene and compel the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) to resume stalled wage negotiations as the workers have not received a salary increase since 2008.

At 11 am, protesting workers comprising delivery officers, transport workers and employees from the finance and administration department of TTPost, gathered outside the Financial Complex in Port-of-Spain and at Dutch Fort Street in Scarborough.

David Forbes, president of the Postal Workers Union (PWU) said postal workers have not received a salary increase since 2008 and the union started negotiations on January 17 with the union demanding a 35 percent wage increase.

“We have not received a response from management in terms of what is the expected percentage that will be brought to the negotiating table for postal workers. Management has told us that they have not received directions from the government in terms of what the counter wage offer would be,” Forbes said.

Susannah Joefield, TTPost delivery worker said the last time she received a salary increase was in 2008 and all the while, the prices of food and basic commodities keeps rising. “Life has been anything but easy. It is very difficult to get everything done with a salary like mine. I thank God that my son and daughter are both working as they help out with the bills. A salary increase will really help me out,” Joefield said.

Another TTPost employee Wendy Flemming says she has four children and her last son is a cancer patient. “A lot of my money goes into taking care of my sick son. It is not easy being a single mother and living on the same salary almost five years now.

We are working too hard in the sun and rain to be treated like this,” Flemming said. Forbes noted that a job evaluation done in 2010 by HRC Associates showed that TTPost workers were being paid 18.5 percent below the salary that is deemed equitable.

President of the Postal Workers Union, Tobago Branch, Carlyn Patterson said that about 40 workers in Tobago were involved in protest action yesteray intended to let TTPost management know that not only in Trinidad are postal workers unhappy with the stalled negotiations.

[Lounge Lizard]

Any support yet from the CWU ?

[clashcityrocker]

I would be happy to go on a fact finding mission.