00:00First up, trade unions and workers took to the streets of Port of Spain in a show of solidarity,
00:06putting the UNC government on notice just 18 months into its term.
00:11Union leaders insist there is still much to fight for.
00:15Now it's left to be seen if the march will have any impact at all.
00:20Uvashit Tewari Rupnerang reports.
00:32The message from the streets was one of solidarity as workers and trade unions mobilized to press their demands on
00:40the UNC government.
00:42Despite the Prime Minister's claims that her administration has settled outstanding negotiations inherited from the previous PNM administration,
00:51Friday's march suggests tensions remain on the Labour front.
00:55NATOC Secretary General Michael Anisat is also challenging the Prime Minister's decision that trade unions did not protest during the
01:04PNM's decade in office.
01:05When Dr. Rowley made his statement against you, which we believe was derivative to you and your office,
01:17is the National Trade Union Center of Trinidad and Tobago stood up in your defense and condemned Dr. Rowley for
01:25his statement.
01:26I want to remind everyone here that we march in 2021, we march in 2022, we march, let me repeat
01:36it, in 2022.
01:38Anisat describes the march as a spiritual journey, insisting the Labour movement will defend workers regardless of their political affiliation,
01:47class or race.
01:48I understand that members of the PNM is here. We welcome them. We welcome them. And if members of the
01:59UNC is here, we welcome them too.
02:03Because whether you're PNM, whether you're UNC, whether you're MSJ, we see you as a citizen and workers of Trinidad
02:12and Tobago.
02:13And therefore, we wouldn't fall for the race baiting.
02:18Among those marching was the PNM, led by political leader Penelope Beckles, who says the Prime Minister could not dictate
02:25where she or anyone else chooses to go.
02:29That she has marched many times with trade unions. This here is about solidarity with the trade union movement.
02:35We know that there are issues. The Prime Minister may have settled some of her issues with some unions, but
02:40there are still unions where wages and salaries and issues relating to cost of living still arises.
02:47So I am not really concerned about how she feels about it.
02:52Beckles also rejected the Prime Minister's suggestion that the unions were protesting because Trinidad and Tobago has an East Indian
02:59Prime Minister.
03:00She brings in race in everything. And this issue of wages and salaries has nothing to do with race.
03:07The fact that the unions decide to protest has absolutely nothing to do with race.
03:12But that is her method of being divisive and stirring up the population and telling her UNC supporters not to
03:20come into town.
03:20But while the march drew across sections of workers and political figures, two major unions were notably absent.
03:27The Oil Fuel Workers Trade Union, which has an agreement with the government on the reopening of the Petrotron refinery,
03:34they did not participate.
03:36Neither did the Public Services Association, which has agreed to a 10% wage increase for two bargaining periods.
03:43A prepayment has been made with the terms of the final tranche still to be determined.
03:49Orvishita Mori, Rupplerine, TV6 News.
03:52Well, stemming from today's Labour March, the President of the Amalgamated Workers' Union, Michael Prentiss, called out this country's politicians.
04:01He blamed the government for selling false narratives and knocked the opposition for sitting idly by.
04:08Well, I'm demanding this evening that that double cabinet that they have, they cut it in half.
04:19Also demanding, personally, that they cut 10% of their salary.
04:47He called on the country to not be blinded by the red and yellow.
04:53So we have to continue this fight going forward and call all Trinidad and Tobago out.
05:01Dole them blind here with PNM and UNC.
05:05Tell them go to hell.
05:07We are dealing, going forward, to bring betterment to the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
05:14Prime Minister Kamala Passat-Bissessa has belittled today's union march, saying that it has spectacularly failed,
05:22and the racial and political hatred has been rejected by the population.
05:27In her social media post, the PM said she also hoped that the, quote,
05:32few persons involved got the opportunity to ask PNM MPs about their failure to pay back pay,
05:40increase salaries, and offer more than 0% increases over the last 10 years, end quote.
05:48Passat-Bissessa thanked the union leaders who continue to work with the government for their patience
05:53and assured that their outstanding issues would be resolved as soon as possible.
05:58She also thanked the police service who ensured no violence occurred during the day's proceedings.
06:06The story brings us to tonight's PeopleMeter.
06:10We ask,
06:11Do you expect today's march by labor unions to have any impact on settling negotiations?
06:17To vote, text yes or no to the number 766-4886.
06:23That's 766-4-TV6.
06:28Good news.
06:29Good news.
06:29Good news.
