Trinidad public servants to get 10% pay rise
(Trinidad Express) A 10% wage increase for public servants has been confirmed following a marathon round of negotiations that stretched late into Thursday night.
The agreement, reached shortly after 9 p.m., is estimated to cost at least $3.8 billion in arrears, with an additional recurring annual expenditure of $420 million, according to Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) Dr Daryl Dindial.
Negotiations between the Public Services Association and the CPO began shortly after 11 a.m.
Speaking to reporters, Dindial said, “I am pleased to advise the public that an agreement has been reached with the CPO and the PSA. We do intend to meet on Monday to sign off a memorandum of understanding.”
Dindial thanked PSA president Felisha Thomas for what he described as her understanding of the country’s economic circumstances.
Dindial acknowledged a taxing day at the negotiating table.
“The CPO would have issued at least four proposals; they would have issued at least three counter proposals during the course of the day, but certainly I am pleased to announce there is settlement and we do intend to finalise the documentation on Monday,” he said.
He detailed the structure of the offer, explaining that the combined negotiating periods amount to a total increase of 10%.
“So it is spread 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, and 5 for two negotiating periods, 2014 to 2016, and 2017 to 2019,” he said.
Dindial added the settlement includes Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) consolidation, “so the net effect is about a 15%. Because when you consolidate COLA, the salary increases”.
He declined, however, to elaborate on the compromises made on either side.
Once the agreement is signed, he said, it would be sent to Cabinet for ratification.
“So, I have spoken to the secretary of Cabinet and they have accepted they would accept an ad hoc note to be placed before the Cabinet on Thursday,” he said.
“After Cabinet ratify the note, I will be sending an implementation instruction circular to all permanent secretaries to begin the process of auditing all the files,” he said.
When asked whether payment before Christmas was feasible, he clarified the decision falls outside his remit.
“At the end of the day, the CPO role and remit is to treat with settlement.
“Issues concerning what is available and what could be afforded to public officers by December is really a function of the Ministry of Finance and what cash flow is available,” Dindial said.
He said the Minister of Finance is committed to “seeing how best he can treat with some payment in the month of December but that is a process they have to engage in”.
“But he (the minister) has expressed that commitment to me as early as this morning (Thursday), and the Ministry of Finance and the technocrats are working to see what is possible for some payments to occur in the month of December,” he said.
Addressing last week’s public dispute, in which the PSA accused the CPO’s office of obstruction and confusion over whether talks were restarting or continuing, Dindial insisted the negotiation process had not been hindered.
“We are happy that PSA proposal has been completed. Without any doubt the CPO office did not obstruct this process,” he said.
Dindial also clarified that while the PSA had said it received an offer last week “from the office of the CPO, the offer was made today (Thursday).
“We consider several elements of an offer…what the PSA received last week Friday was a letter indicating that an offer will be made subject to negotiation”.
PSA pleased
Thomas hailed the outcome as a good day for the PSA membership.
“After a marathon session…I am happy to say that we have now in our hand beyond the 10% proposals. We now have a settlement,” she said.
Thomas said they have agreed on new salaries to be paid in January, along with across-the-board payments to public officers, and noted progress on “a payment in relation to the outstanding arrears of the medical plan as well”.
On COLA consolidation, she said, “I must make mention there has been some questions where that is concerned.
“We can today confirm that COLA has been consolidated for both periods…that is a big win for members of the civil service, statutory authorities and the Tobago House of Assembly.”
Thomas said she remains hopeful that members will receive payments by Christmas, but promised more detail after Monday’s signing.
She said the PSA’s earlier 12% counter proposal did not leave members disappointed, given “some wins in between”.
Reflecting on the talks, she said the process was lengthy and at times demanding, adding that she was relieved to have arrived at a settlement.
