Public Services Association (PSA) president Leroy Baptiste said no union, including the PSA, truly wants a four per cent increase.
Commenting in an Express interview following news that the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) accepted Chief Personnel Officer Commander Dr Daryl Dindial’s offer earlier this week, Baptiste said no decision has been made for his members just yet.
Baptiste said the Government’s offer is “unfair, unjust and downright wicked to the working class.”
He said if the same is offered, he will present it to the general council and take the guidance of the members.
He said the PSA is currently awaiting the position of the special tribunal come May 25.
Baptiste pointed out that the public should not be fooled into believing that a union “accepting” an offer means that they are happy with said offer.
Baptiste said unions are only accepting it because special tribunals are set to impose a ten-year settlement on workers which will deprive unions of being able to collectively bargain on behalf of its members.
In doing so, unions will be able to engage in collective bargaining for the period 2020 and onwards rather than have the court give a judgement that covers up to 2024.
As such, “accepting” an offer is really translated to mean, “I’m going and sign the thing and done yes,” he added.
According to him, most unions are being forced into choosing between “a rock and a hard place” because “their backs are against a wall”.