Even as the Estate Police Association prepares to take their negotiations with the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (AATT) to the Industrial Court, other employees are threatening to proceed with their own industrial action and shut down the Piarco and ANR Robinson International Airports.
A statement released on Saturday said the workers were “tired and fed-up of the misuse of the processes”, citing Finance Minister Winston Dookeran and Chief Personnel Officer Stephanie Lewis’ refusal to settle the job evaluation implementation for Public Services Association (PSA) workers of the AATT and the TT Civil Aviation Authority (TTCAA) for this decision.
The release added that even after disbanding the Public Sector Negotiating Committee, Government was still refusing to honour the process which started since 2006.
The statement said workers were tired of being paid salaries 30 percent lower than their counterparts at other state-run organisations.
The workers said despite warnings by PSA leader Watson Duke that anyone who took action he did not sanction “would be punished,” stated they would be willing to risk his wrath as they continued to question his allegiance.
The release said the workers felt the 50 percent fuel subsidy Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) continued to receive from Government would be better spent by ensuring the employees received adequate remuneration.
“The workers believe in light of all these issues, a shut down of the facilities will be the only way to gain the Government’s respect and attention on their issues,” the release said.
