00:00The Public Services Association today signed off on the terms of settlement for National Insurance Board workers.
00:07This is pursuant to an announcement of a 9% settlement made by the Prime Minister on Friday.
00:13What we are seeing here today is a government that is for the people, a government that is for workers,
00:19and we are seeing a government that holds to their commitments to workers and to the people of this country.
00:24This paves the way for the collective agreement dispute lodged at the industrial court to be withdrawn.
00:31It was unfortunate. It was unfortunate to know that an organization that is self-sufficient
00:37and did not require funding from the government to pay their workers were withheld from doing so just for political gain.
00:46It was unfortunate and today the workers, they are free from that type of victimization.
00:54Thomas says workers are elated as the board now has the authorization to pay increases and arrears.
01:02Approximately 950 NIB workers will benefit from the decision, 350 past workers and 600 present workers.
01:11Thomas was asked what this means for upcoming negotiations in light of the government's commitment to start negotiations from 10%.
01:19And she was also probed on if the 10% represents one term or two consecutive terms.
01:2710% is an offer that is totally different to 4%.
01:32And we have all the faith that this government, just as they have been honoring their promises thus far,
01:43that they will honor the promise of the 10%.
01:46And we are looking forward to this year's budget in October.
01:49The PSA president was quizzed about her union sentiments on the firing of CPAP and URP workers.
01:57What the unions support is sustainable jobs.
02:02Jobs that are provided to citizens of this country must not be jobs that can be taken away by political will.
02:08And once what's going forward is sustainable jobs, permanent jobs that could afford workers to plan their lives,
02:14that is something that the unions will support.
02:16Ravishita Wari, Ruknarain, TV6 News.
02:19Ravishita Wari, Ruknarain, TV6 News.
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