The head of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA), Antonia Tekah-DeFreitas, has called on teachers to “rest and reflect” on Monday 5th September – the first day of the new school term.
Speaking to media on Friday as she and her members delivered a letter to the Chief Personnel Officer’s head office, Tekah-DeFreitas said that her union has officially rejected the latest wage offer made by the CPO.
She said the CPO has more work to do in order for any discussions to move forward.
She accused the CPO of failing to understand the “methodology” the union uses to negotiate wage increases.
Tekah-DeFreitas said those who work in comparable fields are paid around $6,000 more than public sector teachers.
“What we are being offered is just about a $200 increase. That cannot be a sign that the State is in any way willing to support the educators and build capacity in the education sector,” she said.
Our education professionals have to reflect on what they are being offered, the citizens and the Government need to reflect on what is being offered to us, so we have a day of rest and reflection on Monday 5th September and we know that our educators in all sectors will be in support of the call by the union,” Tekah-DeFreitas said.
She said teachers have been patient for far too long and now they will send a strong message.
“We know it may be hard, some persons may be looking for us to come out and babysit on Monday coming. That is not our substantive job, but if we are not motivated to do our job properly, then we will have to rest and reflect on those decisions that we have to make going forward.”
“As school is due to reopen on Monday, we have situations where schools are not ready and they expect the educators and the students to be in those spaces. TTUTA has had a saying for years, what is good for the educators, for the teachers, is good for the students, is good for the nation.”
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