Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 26/Nov 07:54

Wage hikes should not be political trophies

THE EDITOR: The formalisation of the ten per cent salary increase for civil servants raises an issue that goes far beyond any single union. While the Public Services Association (PSA) has accepted the offer, other government-employed workers not represented by that union are still waiting for clarity on whether the adjustment applies to them. In one of my letters to the editor earlier this year on the proposed ten per cent increase, I stated: “Once the PSA is paid and this door is opened, the rest of the labour movement will surely want to follow.” Even without such a warning, the government would have had to be naïve in the extreme not to expect, and plan, for this outcome. The concern is not imaginary. As Newsday reported this week, the NUGFW, which represents some 17,000 daily-rated government workers, is already seeking confirmation that its members will also receive the ten per cent increase. Its request is simply one example of broader uncertainty among public-sector workers not represented by the PSA. As another example, we may recall that the recently elected TTUTA president, upon assuming office, indicated that although the union had accepted the previous administration’s four per cent offer, one of his priorities would be to seek the additional six per cent from this government to bring teachers on par with the PSA for the equivalent period. Some may argue that the trade unions outside of the PSA do not have a valid claim, while others believe their demands are fully justified. But this leads us to a deeper and more uncomfortable question: should salary increases for government workers be treated as rewards for campaigning with the government? The PSA openly aligned itself with the UNC during the recent election, while other unions may have offered only tacit support or maintained their independence. Yet all these unions represent workers who contribute daily to the functioning of the state. All are employed by the government. All face the same rising cost of living. In my humble opinion, public service compensation must never become political currency. When wage adjustments appear to favour unions that openly campaigned with the government, it undermines both trust and fairness. Workers should not have to choose between maintaining their political neutrality and protecting their economic well-being. Nor should unions be incentivised to become political appendages simply to secure benefits their members deserve on merit. A ten per cent increase may very well be appropriate, despite the country’s precarious economic position; indeed, many would argue it is long overdue. But if it is justified for one category of government workers, then it is equally justified for all who fall under the same employer. Anything else risks dividing public-sector workers into two classes: those rewarded for political loyalty, and those who are not – simply because they stayed in their lane, as is their right. As a nation, we must be careful not to set a precedent where labour negotiations become indistinguishable from political endorsements. Fairness and not favour must always guide decisions made with public funds. In this regard, the multi-billion-dollar question for Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo is this: In sourcing funds to honour the ten per cent commitment to civil servants, have you also factored in the cost of extending this increase to other government workers? Over to you, sir. CLAUDE A JOB via e-mail The post Wage hikes should not be political trophies appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.