President of the Teachers’ Union, Oswald Robinson, is calling on the leaders of other trade unions to be honest and tell their membership that they have signed the proposal asking for one month’s salary payment to public sector workers in lieu of salary increases since 2011.
“The other workers must know that all the unions endorse this proposal,” Robinson said on radio on Sunday.
Robinson, along with head of the Public Service Union (PSU), Elroy Boucher, and Teachers’ Union spokesperson, Wendy Bynoe, were guests on Hitz Talk on Sunday.
His comments came in response to a question from I-Witness News about how much confidence the PSU and Teachers’ Union have in the support that Commercial, Technical and Allied Workers’ Union (CTAWU) and the National Workers Movement say they give to the proposal.
I-Witness News noted that the leaders of these two unions, Joseph Burns Bonadie and Noel Jackson are also activists on behalf of the government.
Robinson told listeners that the Teachers’ Union and the PSU want members of the other unions to know the position that all unions have taken.
“So if they didn’t come and tell you that, we are saying that to you. They endorse the proposal and that is why earlier I said that these other trade union leaders need to come clean and honest with their membership,” Robinson said .
“It would be a good thing if they go — [which] they have not done for a long while, to go and have a meeting with their membership because their members out there are meeting us and they are anticipating this one-month payment.
“We need to also make the point that the organisations are bigger than any individual. So, if their leaders don’t want to stand up, then the workers out there will rise up,” Robinson.
“I want to use this opportunity to call on all the workers of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. If you want leadership, if you want to learn more about what we are pressing for and the merit, both unions here are prepared to provide leadership for you if your leadership is not coming to answer your questions. Let us move together with one voice, speaking the same language and we will be victorious in the end,” Robinson said.
Meanwhile, Bynoe pointed out that in the April 24, 2015 meeting with Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Ralph Gonsalves, it was initially the PSU and the Teachers’ Union that made the proposal, but the leadership of the other unions supported the proposal.
“So they adopted this and they were in support of it,” Bynoe said, adding that the four unions signed the proposal.
You will never outsmart our brilliant Prime Minister who is playing divide and conquer among the unions and between poor people on welfare and well-off union members on this issue.
And watch your back: Bonadie and Jackson’s loyalty lies with the ULP not with the rank and file of their unions.
At the end of the day, the PM will make you and your members look like a bunch of greedy and selfish freeloading political opportunists.
You are quite right David, if they refuse to be painted red they are better than dead.