Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) leader Ancel Roget is calling on the Government to increase the $15 minimum wage, so workers could earn a decent wage to put food on their tables.
He made the demand, along with a list of others, during May Day celebrations in San Fernando yesterday.
While May Day is officially observed today, JTUM decided to host the celebrations a day earlier as today Muslims celebrate Eid.
“For those workers who are at the lowest end of the economic ladder in this country, the minimum wages earners, the gas station workers, the grocery workers, the workers in the stores, workers in the hardware, the CEPEP workers, all of those workers who work on a day-to-day basis, we call for an increase in the minimum wage indeed for them,” he said.
He also called for the reversal of the “unjust and unfair” fuel price increase. Also taking issue with increasing the retirement age to 65, he said, “We not waiting until 65 for those who are entitled to NIS at 60. You pay for it, you qualify for it. When you reach 60 make sure you get your NIS. So we do not make up for the corruption that was done with the National Insurance funds. We pay our money and when the time comes we demand our NIS benefits.”
Roget also called on the minister of Public Utilities to resign following the minister’s report on the nationwide blackout that a fallen tree had triggered the blackout. He said, “…the tree did not plant itself there. Instead of making the connection that because T&TEC continues to contract out permanent jobs because there continues to be corruption at T&TEC, that tree was not properly maintained, trimmed and/or removed so that it could have fallen on the lines, hear what he say: ‘It was fungus in the tree that cause the tree to rot and fall.’ How foolish do these people think we are?”
Trade Union members from various bodies came out in large numbers to be part of the May Day celebration which was held for the first time since the pandemic struck two years ago.
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