By Leiselle Maraj Monday, September 28 2009

Trade unions are quickly banding together to strengthen themselves against what they call Government’s plan to get rid of the entire movement in Trinidad and Tobago.

Communication Workers Union(CWU) and the Transport and Industrial Workers Union (TIWU) were served with notices of the Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago(TSTT) and Public Transport Service Corporation(PTSC) respective intentions to have these unions removed from representing the majority of workers at these two State owned companies.

TSTT is asking the court to recognise a fracas at the company’s head office TSTT House, Port-of-Spain on July 7 as grounds to decertify the union while PTSC cites a bus strike on September 14 as their reason to get rid of TIWU.

CWU secretary general, John Julien yesterday told Newsday that members of the union’s parent body, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions and NGOs(FITUN), pledged their support to the CWU at FITUN’s Annual General Meeting staged on Saturday. He added that FITUN members stand ready to join in any protest action taken by CWU as they seek to resolve issues with TSTT.

Julien said that FITUN also expressed solidarity with TIWU and has spoken with the union on this matter. An official statement regarding their solidarity with TIWU is expected to be released this week.

“We are aware that this is a concerted plot by Government to remove all progressive trade unions from the history books of Trinidad and Tobago and as such we will be out in full force, not in protest action, at the Industrial Court on Friday when we have our pre-trial hearing. On the following Friday, we will conduct a mass rally through the streets of Port-of-Spain to highlight these and other issues,” he said.

He called on all trade unions to condemn this action taken by the companies against the unions as he said it has become a national issue and not just one affecting CWU and TIWU.

Roland Sutherland, TIWU president expressed similar sentiments and called on all un-unionised workers to observe carefully what is happening to TSTT and PTSC staff. “The State is trying to ameliorate unions. We have to put aside our differences and get around the table to discuss a united front because Government will continue to attack trade unions if we sit by and do not do anything about it.”