00:00As what local business chambers have called the chaos at the Port of Port of
00:04Spain and the Scarborough Port continued on Friday with the Christmas shopping
00:08season underway, Works and Transport Minister Ruan Sinanan spoke on the
00:12matter in the House of Representatives. Madam Speaker, it is important to note
00:18what is the current impasse on the Port of Authority of Trinidad and Tobago and
00:24what it pertains to. Specifically, non-acceptance by one of the recognized
00:31union and its membership in respect of the approved wage offer submitted by PATT.
00:40Minister Sinanan was responding to an urgent question raised by Cuba South MP
00:45Rujunath Indarasinghe on behalf of the opposition. The Works and Transport
00:49Minister spoke about what he said had occurred during the UNC-led People's
00:53Partnership administration before the PNM won the general election on
00:58September 7, 2015. In 2015, a MOA was signed by the DEN Board of the Port
01:05Authority of Trinidad and Tobago which identified a 12% wage increase without
01:12following the acceptable practice. In 2015, it was a similar
01:19inter-ministerial committee that was chaired by Minister Hawaii. Based on the
01:26legal advice from two senior counsel, the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago and
01:31the SWWTU, who advised that the MOA is not enforceable. Minister Sinanan said
01:38the Port Authority has been actively engaging the union to bring about a
01:42settlement on this matter without success. The SWWTU was provided with an
01:48offer for a period 2014 to 2017 and 2017 to 2020. The SWWTU has refused the
02:00submitted offer. MP Indarasinghe sought some clarification from the Works and
02:05Transport Minister. Minister, could you inform this house or are you willing to
02:10make public the two legal opinions that you referred to, that in terms
02:18of the legal advice that was given to the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago
02:22in relation to the negotiation between that was settled in 2015? Madam Speaker,
02:30based on the discussions and the stage of these negotiations, it will be
02:36improper for me to make those available based on impending court action that may
02:44come out of this decision. The opposition MP referred to the Industrial Relations
02:50Act. Are you now saying to this house and to the union and port workers that the
02:56government has altered the recognized majority union certificate and referred
03:02all matters of the port to the chief personal officer? Minister, I did indicate
03:09that under the previous government there was a committee headed by
03:14Minister Larry Hawaii. I don't know if that was altered then. However, what we
03:19can say is they do get guidelines from the committee on negotiations. Minister
03:26Synanon emphasized that there are three bargaining units at the ports under the
03:30Port Authority and the issue is with one bargaining unit. Jule Brown, TV6 News.
