00:00Two major trade unions representing teacher and health care workers say they are yet to meet with the relevant authorities
00:07to discuss salary negotiations.
00:09Speaking with TV6 via telephone, President of the Trinidad and Tobago National Nurses Association, Edie Stewart, says the association was
00:18pleased with the march last week Friday.
00:20It was indeed an eye-opener, not only for nursing and for personnel, not only for workers within the health
00:30sector, but I believe it opened up the eyes of the national public where persons may have been beginning to
00:42lose faith.
00:44But I believe the nursing association and all those who supported that venture on Friday, I believe it has restored
00:55the vibrancy of the labor movement.
00:59Stewart said despite the announcement made by health minister in parliament last week, the march held on Friday did in
01:06fact lead to some disruptions across the health sector.
01:09There was a number of disruptions across the health care sector, particularly in Trinidad, not so much in Tobago, but
01:18definitely a number of services, a number of procedures were negatively affected.
01:27Despite what the minister had to say, I believe communication would have come back to him, indicated, yes, indeed, there
01:36was severe disruptions.
01:38And the following statement in parliament by health minister, Dr. Lachram Boudou, that the government may be considering filling vacancies
01:45in the public health sector with Cuban health care professionals, the association president raised further concerns.
01:52The association is really perplexed that even in the face of health care workers, locally trained health care workers, locally
02:04trained nurses and midwives, even in the face of them not receiving a salary increase,
02:09the government appears to be willing to recruit foreign nurses at a higher expense, a higher monthly bill than the
02:22local nurses.
02:23We are also paying close attention to, even in the face of government acknowledging that they are short of nursing
02:31and midwifery personnel to deliver safe and effective care.
02:35Stewart says the association is set to meet on Saturday to discuss a proposed 10-point action plan with its
02:42members.
02:43Meanwhile, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association, Crystal Ashey, says the union is scheduled to meet with
02:50the minister of education tomorrow
02:52and hopes for a resolution to a long-standing issue affecting teachers.
02:57He says if the meeting does not produce satisfactory outcomes, the union's general council will meet to determine its next
03:03course of action.
03:04We don't get the desired results. Tomorrow, at least they're not forthcoming and they don't make a promise.
03:10So when they will give us the tips and so on, the general council of Tuta will meet and we
03:17will move planned to be forward.
03:18This is not a unilateral decision that Ash has the authority to make. Tuta is short there and we will
03:22continue to adhere to those structures.
03:24Shala Kisto, TV6 News.
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