Port Workers Demand Settlement Of Negotiations

The Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union is again calling on the Government to settle outstanding negotiations for Port workers. President of the SWWTU, Michael Annisette, says Port workers are owed salary increases for at least two negotiation periods: 2014-2017 and 2017-2020. He says the Minister of Works and Transport, in 2019, promised to fast track payment of the 12% increase to some 1,500 dock workers. He says during the Covid-19 lockdown it was the Port workers who kept the economy going. Mr. Annisette, who is also the General Secretary of the National Trade Union (NATUC), says the Government is the employer of over 89,000 daily-paid workers. He says the failure to pay outstanding wage increases is affecting their livelihoods as purchasing power has dropped significantly. The SWWTU President says the port workers are prepared to struggle to get their just dues. When contacted for comment, Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan said the Ministry made representation on behalf of the Port Authority as recent as last week to the Chief Personnel Officer and the Ministry of Finance to have the outstanding negotiations settled.