The Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) and the All Trinidad General Workers’ Trade Union (ATGWTU) have signed a collective agreement for employees at the Mora Valley Farm, for the periods 2014 to 2016 and 2017 to 2019.
A release from the CPO’s Office confirms that the union accepted the 4% salary offer and signed off on the Report yesterday.
Chief Personnel Officer, Commander Dr Daryl Dindial, noted the occasion was historic, as this was the first-ever Collective Agreement between the All Trinidad General Workers’ Trade Union and the Office of the Chief Personnel Officer, on behalf of the employees of the Mora Valley Farm.
Dindial noted that the salaries paid to the employees at Mora Valley Farm were lower in comparison to those of the comparator positions in the market, which compelled the State to consider market survey information to adjust salaries for the employees for the period prior to 2014.
In this regard, Dindial acknowledged the support and decisiveness of the Minister of Finance Colm Imbert in treating with the appropriate adjustments prior to 2014.
In the agreement, the Mora Valley Farm employees received several new allowances to address their working conditions. Other benefits include the introduction of grievance procedures, protective clothing and gear agreed upon based on the union’s request and industry standard, the introduction of leave for union business, provisions for injury on the job, leave of absence from duty on the grounds of illness and a duty allowance for extra hours worked on the Farm.
The CPO said he shared the view that ATGWTU led by Nirvan Maharaj is perhaps one of the most persistent and meticulous unions he has engaged with so far.
Dindial added that most unions and associations accepted the four per cent offer and appealed to the other unions/associations who have not accepted the offer to do so.