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  • 19 hours ago


T&TEC workers will be heading into the Christmas season with more money in their pockets following what is being described as a historic breakthrough in industrial relations.

After intense negotiations involving the OWTU, T&TEC and the Ministry of Public Utilities, new Cost of Living Allowance increases have been finalised, along with retroactive payments totaling more than 131 million dollars.

Transcript
00:00It is being hailed as another win for the working class.
00:04Following weeks of intensive discussions between TNTech and the oil field workers trade union,
00:10also including the Ministry of Public Utilities,
00:12a long-standing impasse over the cost of living allowance increase has been finally resolved.
00:18Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Barry Padaroth, says the agreement represents
00:22a professional and transparent process that delivered results within weeks.
00:27Through professional, transparent and respectful engagement,
00:33we were able to do in a few weeks what the PNM failed to do in 10 years.
00:40The agreement confirms significant COLA increases for weekly paid workers.
00:45That at approximately 2 a.m. on the morning of November 13, 2025,
00:51TNTech and the OWTU signed a memorandum of agreement,
00:55a historic and long-overdue breakthrough that restores fairness to workers.
01:03The agreement provides relief for weekly paid workers,
01:07a new COLA of $5.75 per hour, raising the total COLA to $15.64 per hour.
01:15Effective, November 20, 2025, payable from 4th of December 2025.
01:23Workers will be getting money for Christmas.
01:25Monthly paid workers will also benefit from the new settlement.
01:29Relief for monthly paid workers, a new COLA of $1,000.50,
01:34raising the total COLA to $2,721.36.
01:42Effective, December 1, 2025, payable from December 17, 2025.
01:48More workers will be getting money in their pockets for Christmas.
01:51Retroactive COLA payments amounting to $131,125,076 will be disbursed in four tranches
02:01starting November 2025 and ending February 2026.
02:07Mr. Speaker, I can say with much pride here today,
02:11the first tranche has already been honoured and is in the bank accounts of employees of TNTech.
02:15Minister Padarath says his administration is reversing what he called a decade of industrial relations failures
02:22under the previous government and assures another group of workers will soon get relief.
02:29This government will now treat with the Estate Police Association promptly
02:33with the same transparency and urgency we have brought to the OWTU matters.
02:38With thousands of workers set to benefit,
02:40the agreement signals what the government describes as a new era of fairness and respect in labor negotiations.
02:47Ravishita Wari Rupnarein, TV6 News.
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