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“To date there are approximately 250 individuals whose three year contracts have come to an end and are now on monthly contracts. In fact this has been the situation for the last year and a half and relates to technical officers in various departments such as IT, Text books, Research, Evaluation, Policy, etc.
“It is important to note that when one is on a monthly contract that means:
- We have no entitlement to paid vacation;
- We have no entitlement to sick leave;
- If we stay home due to illness or an emergency we don’t get paid;
- We have on entitlement to a gratuity;
- We have no entitlement to get a job letter;
- You don’t get paid on time.
“So in essence, for the last year and a half, these are the kind of conditions we have had to work under, which is in violation of the Industrial Relations Act.”
The following Letter to the Editor on conditions faced by contract workers at the Ministry of Education was sent to Wired868 by an anonymous employee:
Unfortunately I have no choice but to again use this medium to address the issues relating to the current position of Contract Workers at the Ministry of Education. Firstly, I would like to address a statement that was made by the Minister in an article published in the Trinidad Guardian on 16 July 2016.
In the article, the Minister stated that “short term employees were hired based on the immediate needs of the ministry at the time and that when these needs were fulfilled, those contracts will come to an end.”
First off, the Ministry does indeed hire “Short Term Employees” during exam time and registration for exams. However the issue to which I am writing relates to those employees who were hired on a three-year contract.
To date there are approximately 250 individuals whose three-year contracts have come to an end and are now on monthly contracts. In fact, this has been the situation for the last year and a half and relates to technical officers in various departments such as IT, Text books, Research, Evaluation, Policy etc. It is important to note that when one is on a monthly contract that means:
- We have no entitlement to paid vacation;
- We have no entitlement to sick leave;
- If we stay home due to illness or an emergency we don’t get paid;
- We have on entitlement to a gratuity;
- We have no entitlement to get a job letter;
- You don’t get paid on time.
(Copyright Shutterstock)
So in essence for the last year and a half these are the kind of conditions we have had to work under, which is in violation of the Industrial Relations Act.
You are however expected to continue to perform at your optimum and deliver. What makes these conditions far worse is that during this time many officers have decided to just leave and not take up the monthly contract.
As a result, we now have departments running below capacity in terms of manpower and are even short-staffed. We even have cases of Head of Department, who are on contract, leaving with junior officers—who lack the necessary skills—taking over.
Just recently, at the end of September, many of us who were on six month contracts had to take three days off—with no pay—and were told to wait until HR called up.
Many expected to at least get another six month contract until things were sorted. However to our surprise, although the Permanent Secretary approved additional six month periods, the HR department played favouritism and chose to only give those six month renewals to some and others just got Month to Month Contracts.
I was told by someone in the HR department that if the person did not like you or thought that your Department was not important, you were given a Month to Month. Really, in this day and age this is still happening.
Additionally yesterday—and this is the reason behind this letter—I found out that there were Cabinet notes done, regarding the extension of positions for an additional three year contract period, allegedly stuck on an HR officer’s desk for the last three months. The reason was that the HR person supposedly did not know what to do with the Cabinet note, so she just left it there.
This is the disdain that many Public Officers have for contract workers. Yet we are the ones who work late into the night, get called out on weekends, carry work home to finish, and have to neglect our families to get the work done.
Many Public Officers would cite the Regulations on their duties and bring their union to represent them. We, contract officers, have no union to represent us and no one to take our case to the Industrial Court. And if you speak out, well say goodbye to that Monthly Contract.
Imagine in a Ministry where the Minister—Anthony Garcia—is a former union leader and who is quoted as saying that Month to Month Contracts are akin to slavery, this still continues to persist for close to 18 months.
I have reached the point of probably going home and working PH taxi or CEPEP or something. Because as far as I am concerned, the Minister and the Senior Executive of the Ministry of Education don’t care for contract officers.
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This is happening to someone I know right now…total disregard for worker’s rights!!
What’s the problem with contract labour?..Go to the good old USA and see if there’s something called “permanent employment”
Also, these folk abroad get mortgages etc etc so the issue may not be the employment but the BANKS Here. If u are skilled uts expected you have mobility
Now these bandit one month nonesense is different but the argument against contract labour is I’ll founded IMO. people wanna have job conditions like their parents and salary like their grandkids (to come) …doh wuk so ..
‘contract’ isn’t the problem. month to month contract is. You have any idea what it’s like to get a loan or hire purchase on a month to month contract?
A permanent worker also has a contract of employment. All are contracts of employment. The issue is short term contracts that has no benefits such as sick leave, vacation leave etc. Why is this government policy? There are persons with 1 year, 2 years or 3 years contracts who may be comfortable with this arrangement. Who can be comfortable with a one month or 3 month contract? Is this prevalent in the Private Sector? Why is it allowed in government? That is exploitation.
Again…read some of the comments. .. it started off against the one month bandit thing and has morphed into against contract employment itself…
Agreed. The issue is short term contracts of employment and not the other types of contracts.
I had a public service job. I resigned to go on contract. D reason there was no advancement in the job.
I started at Range 46 the highest I could have reached was 53.
Contract employment allows you to use any additional skill set that you acquire after you joined the Public Service.
As I said this is my 3rd agency as I got more qualified contract employment provided me the opportunity to use additional skills I acquired.
Again if I eh doing a good job simply do not renew.
The contract worker “thing” has been going on for a very many years…
The short term employment thing is the issue.
On top of which, most ppl may not know but…the public service position sometimes pays more-on contract, you have ur salary and gratuity. Public service jobs-non-contributory pension, medical, car loan, upkeep…long list.
No public service job should be a contract position. However, this became the norm in clerical positions. They change the name but was basically clerk and clerk typist. They had stop the clerk exam.
To Nan credit she brought the exam back and I know a couple persons who passed and got employed.
Joann Charles….u are talking about how it should be! Not what is lol.
Yep
I worked under the Ministry of Health as a contract worker, both long term and short term. It is stressful to be employed from month to month, at times being at home and wondering when or if things will be rectified. I chose to move on. As much as I loved every minute of my job, the bills were not going to pay themselves. Yes, workers were exploited and continue to be exploited. Imagine on a short term engagement, n the worker had no sick leave, if he has to be absent for the day he does not get paid. It is unjust and hopefully the Minister will act positively to abolish this modern day slavery.
multiply this how many times for all ministries, and statutory agencies and entities.
there is something else: permanent secretaries can hire staff and professionals without either a board or a cabinet note.!!!!
what i want to share and emphasize, everyone is writing these missives from their quarter, not realizing how consistent and same it is across the govt structure here in tt.
i think it is five ministries i have worked in, and at least one statutory, all were contracts. and btw, short term is any contract : three, five years. other than a car, you wont get shit for planning, investment, legitimacy of financial matters
Lasana that us the problem when politicians create jobs but no work to pacify supporters . It is also done with big contracts as well . For example giving land send permission to a person ,in a nature reserve to build a carpark and a water park right next to the sea.
Problems arise when economics takes over from politics as is happening now
Agreed. But I get the impression that these jobs are actually important to the Ministry though. And this short-term contract thing has been going on for some time too.
Plz highlight this some more as I know of a few units in the MOE that this is actually taking place right now….some have not been paid for 2 months as their assumption forms were not submitted….contract ends Jan 2017…some on 3 month and others on month to month contract…totally unacceptable!!
I emphatise with the short term contract workers especially those in the Ministry of Education, this can be very frustrating
Lasana Liburd you should try to get a commemt from the Minister or PS on this matter.
Hmm…wired up to exposes? Lol…lasana, take on the challenge!
I’m up to my neck in challenges as it is and don’t get to step out of football much. But I will reach out to the Minister for a response at least.
Based on what I have heard the number of individuals on Short Term in the Ministry of Education is in the region of more than 500
Rishi, I wonder what percentage of staff that is. Because it sounds damn high.
Lasana Liburd…don’t know if they still have Business Operations Assistants (Clerical Assistants) but that was over 100, then there are other categories so he could be right.
I have heard of persons with Masters in Information Technology working as OJTs for $3 500 a month. This is totally ridiculous. We need to retool and give courses in forming Co operatives and entrepreneurship and get these graduates into productive work.
Lester Logie..if it is through the OJT programme, something sounds not right, as degrees earn $6,200 and Masters $7,200. But agreed about encouraging self employment. But try getting funding from any agency or the bank and tell me the response lol. Especially in these uncertain times for small businesses.
These Contract workers earn more than the Public Servants for doing the same job and at the end of their contracts collect contract gratuity, in some instances its the Public Servant who has to show the contract worker how to do the job which is unfair.
Month to month contract works DO NOT receive gratuity. Did you read the article?
Adi Teacha I was not referring to the month to month contract workers. Sorry if it came across that way.
Some sessions in ministries are only contract workers and they work very hard unlike most of the public servants, contract workers get a gratuity because they have no benefits.
Hey Joy you might be lil versed on this to advise me but don’t public servants have health benefits, union rights and get gratuities as well? Oh and permanent positions? I
Amanda Marie workers on contract for a year and more are entitled to vacation and sick leave and health benefits and union rights are up to the individual. If Contract workers are retained for years their contract gratuity far exceeds the Public Servant gratuity who has to serve for 331/3 years before any gratuity is paid. The only advantage as I see it is a permanent position and that and all maybe in question.
You should have read the article first.
The ridiculous job appointment system in the Regional Health Authorities has as its base what are called cabinet approved positions and board approved positions.
In a nutshell, cabinet approved positions are so-called permanent appointments and board approved positions are short term contract provisions, These short term contracts may be (in the case of Aides to Nurses) month to month contracts; for other categories there are six month contracts, one year contracts and two year contracts.
The short term contract system is being used as a device to escape management’s obligations to workers that should be characteristic of an enlightened industrial relations system. This is a ruse that is frowned upon by the International Labour Organisation. There are workers in the system at all levels who have been subjected to continual rollovers of their short term contracts and who have been employed continuously for fifteen years
The system is so chaotic that some categories of permanent staff that are offered promotions are told that they have to resign their positions and go on short term contracts to accept the promotion. This horrendous contract system affects both workers with professional qualifications and those without.
Short term contract workers obviously suffer anxiety over their job security, are at a disadvantage when it comes to accessing mortgage and other loans and credit facilities. They cannot properly plan the future of their families or make significant investments and they are not entitled to be members of the Regional Health Authorities’ Pension Plan. Even if they eventually become “permanent” and eligible to join the Pension Plan, the service they had before they became permanent would not be counted as service in the plan. It must be noted that the formula for calculating workers’ pension is based on a worker’s final salary and on years of service.
How can workers who are not comfortable when it comes to their quality of life be expected to provide quality health care for the members of the public? This horrendous short term contract system must be abolished as a matter of priority.
Management of the RHA’s is based on political allegiance and not on providing a first class health service to the citizens. The industrial relations are abysmal and lead to low morale and frustration on the part of employees who are not connected to the party in power.
In such an environment nepotism reigns unchecked; unqualified personnel are put in positions of responsibility which they cannot handle, promotions are denied to deserving workers because they are not management’s favourites, victimisation flourishes and the provision of health care deteriorates with each passing day. Incidentally in the South West Regional Health Authority alone, there are over 3400 vacancies, including more than 900 vacancies for nursing personnel.
Lucky to have jobs.
I dont think this a MoE issue alone. Contract Employment has been part of the employment landscape for a while. It is normal practice for ppl to be on month to month before a new contract is offered. The public service is extremely slow, as everyone knows. However, what is exacerbating the situation is there is no clear strategic direction by govt beyond cost cutting. Hence, there are no directives as to what jobs should be cut and what new ones should be added to bring value add to the Ministries. It nothing new to me…its just a longer wait.
Is it therefore LEGAL Avenash Ramsoobhag for people to be working on short term or month to month for over a year of 3 years without any benefits, vacation leave, entitlement to sick leave etc. Regardless of if it has been going on for a while it is not right
The question is whether u send home someone pending contract negotiations or keep them employed until u work out the employment….which one would u prefer???
Rishi, the situation you described above does occur, even in the UK. The reason for that being contractors are are self employed and pay their own pensions, holidays, but get stat sick pay as well. Mind you, I’m not sure how it works here.
But Avenash Ramsoobhag over a year, plus it was a practice used in the last administration where people were on month to month for over a period of 3 years. Plus it is not contract negotiations so you are wrong, i worked on contract for 10 years and was in this situation also.
The PS would say that we would like to to remain but your position that was apporovec for a period of 3 years has come to an end and we need to go back to Cabinet. So in the interim we can offer you and temporary contract until we sort it out however note that you have no benefits to get and you would not get paid on time. In my case that lasted 4 months and I applied and moved on.
But over a year and the Executive still can’t tell you what is going on, that is not contract negotiations, that is the government not wanting to look like it is sending people home while the Public Servants drag their feet. It the meantime the State is benefiting from your expertise and skills and telling you the need for loyality amd commitent but can’t even keep that promise.
Savitri Maharaj, in this case when you are on Month to Month you have no benefits, if you get sick and stay home you don’t get paid. I know of people who were sick and in hospital during the weekend and came to work on Monday because if they did not they don’t get paid. Also if there is a shift in Ministries well you in even more trouble.
Rishi Maharaj…So why should I suffer losses in benefits for administrative inefficiencies? If a contract is for a fixed period, then wouldn’t the Ministries know when contract comes to an end? Why can’t prior approval be sought for renewal of contract-not person-after contract ends?
I think the bitter irony in all this is back in September 2015 there were a lot of people excited at the prospect of a minister of education who was a former TTUTA head and school principal and teacher. Supposed to have a wide perspective on issues ent! And the prospect of a former union leader for public officers as minister of labour seemed like a match made in heaven! Alas…
We should have learned from previous office holders where the match ‘seemed’ perfect.
Ent Nerisha!
Well, I hope Anthony Garcia comes out and speaks to this issue then. He has to.
Even if he speaks out it is still the responsibility of the PS and others to do their work. Based on the letter a Cabinet stuck on someones desk for 3 months and no supervisor check up on it, really.
It should at least boost morale to know that the Minister, a former union man, is looking into it. It is at least more than they have right now.
Lasana Liburd…even if the Minister is ‘looking’ into it…the PS should have responsibility-remember separation of powers. But the Minister can certainly light a fire.
Ministers should set policy. Permanent Secretary’s job is to implement. This includes untangling administrative red tape. But accountability is where things usually fall down.
This is old news. Contract work has been around for decades and people highly qualifed on month to month contracts. there are people in the public service who have not been confirmed for years. The entire system need overhauling. I have said repeatedly thta DR Rowley is going to get oppositon from public servants and the unions for this. Its interesting when oil prices are high, no one demanded that they be made permanent, because people looked forward for a gratuity. Now we are in a recession, complaints. Dam if you do dam if you don’t. Like so many of us out here ,we are unemployed. qualified and experienced and have been replaced by unqualified and unskilled people. Many of us are single women and have rent and other debts to pay. Thank God for the jobs you have. Stop politicking whether it was UNC or PNM at the helm , which makes sense? A government who runs the country to the ground to appease citizens or impose strict measures to ensure we ride out the recession. As a popular Calypsonian sang’Trinidadian don’t know what they want. it always about self , not country . if you want to be knowledgeable read the feature address by Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste regarding contract Labour on April 13,2016 and do some research on the issue to be better informed and knowledgeable on the issue. Happy reading
Rossana, there is absolutely no politicking in this letter from what I can see. Just someone sharing a pressing pain that just got worse.
chk out the post above me, i was talking to that person. My grouse is it has been ongoing like every broken instituion in this country. Where are those affected? playing politics and only when it affects them personally they say something. who is pressurizing the government? the PNM governemtn has made a start. But i’m sure when the oil price increase and the Public service start employing again everyone would apply, since the private sector does little, but underpay and slave labour, so the government is the only option. The politicians knows Trinis does only talk and are docile. Where is their Union? Watson busy fixing himself and they put him back. at the helm of PSA. it s always the government fault. This is a complicated issue, I’m home since last year, contract not renewed and that’s a whole long story. So no job. I have to survive. I am experiencing a new occupation, shaping young peoples mind. Teaching. Unemployment created that space for me and am enjoying every second. Trust God and he will make away. Contract work is a global issue. We need to read and be better informed and have conversations
Ok. Yes. This isn’t a problem that is unique to one party. And the writer began their contract under the PP. So I agree.
It’s not a Garcia problem it’s a PNM problem. This situation obtains at many Ministries
Not a PNM problem. I so don’t appreciate uninformed persons who make comments about situations they no nothing about.
I do “know”. But inform us all, what’s the truth.
It’s like everywhere problem but does not affect all staff.
Well Janet seems to know better but won’t share.
Red n ready lolzzz equals suffer ?
So who agreed to and signed these contracts ?
People who probably felt they had little choice in a contracting employment market.
That was three years ago the Pp was giving away work
Craziness. What good do they expect to come of this? Certainly unhappy exploited technical support workers are not going to deliver the Ministry out of the crisis management mode into something progressive and evolved. What horrors.
The contract thing began many many years ago…
Contract employment and short term employment is totally different.
So the short term (or should I say, protracted short term) only started in the last 5 years? Now I know one argument might be the last administration had said ALL contract jobs had to be advertised and then filled. But…that did not happen. As for the story now…well..wait for it.
That is my problem with this govt. They did a survey and the report was sent to cabinet.
Have not been heard of since.
Didn’t this contract situation start during Manning’s tenure? I seem to remember this happening in 2007?
Was this man a union leader.
Do union leaders forget their roots when they get in Govt.
We recently have had three such union leaders.
Thank You after May 24 2010 to be exact.
This started in 2010.
There were also teachers on contract, some still may be
Yup…so now the teaching service also has hybrid of contract and public service. So…wait till they have issues about seniority etc.
What does contract employment mean?
Start with this.
Month to month was going on long before PP was in office
Lets say u are correct but like everything else that is wrong has been on steroids with the PP.
This month to month contract has been going on since PPP was government
Yes. The story said for the last 18 months. So that means it started under the PP. At least in the author’s case.
I have been on contract in the PS since 2000. I got my 1st contract renewed in 2002 in the heart of 18-18.
This is my 3rd agency and no time b4 the PP the issue of me being on month to month even emerged.
The beauty of contract employment is that if I was not good they can simply not renew.
As I stated b4 they getting their job done so they really do not care.
That is my bigging beef with this govt. This issue should have been dealt wit already.
I and a number of my fellow social workers and guidance counsellors worked on a month to month contract from 2011-2013 everything highlighted in this letter is spot on .
Also, from what I heard, it’s alleged that the technical contract staff were encouraged to apply for a three year contract on the basis that their previous work experience and qualifications will be an asset.
Each ministry has an establishment that states the number of posts and employees for those posts. Unfortunately it hasn’t been updated and extended in years. Most ministries are severely under staff. The PSC is still in process of filling vacant posts. To create new posts and extend the number of staff has to be a parliamentary decision I believe
So…what is the keepback? Some of these positions are established under the public service. And if ppl are on month to month contract, there are no positions to unsuppress. Seems there is no political will to advertise and fill the public service positions. Union busting?
The whole thing needs to be revamped. Most of these establishments date back to the 90s. The ministries are growing in terms of workload but not the staff and therein lies the problem. Hence why there are so many contract posts being created
The establishment needs to be upgraded
This is a VERY troubling letter – in more ways than one. Maybe Mr Matthew Noel can be encouraged to put pen to paper – with the assurance of anonymity, of course!
Well having worked in the public sector for most of my adult life , I’d say it’s a combination of both…and much much more such as outdated structures, systems and policies (19th c), entrenched backward views, no sense of purpose, transparency or accountability, no system of reward or retribution for performance…..it’s almost Dickensian in some ways….
And attorney Gabrielle Gellineau Emanuel did a piece that is excellent reading for employees who are being wilfully frustrated at work: http://wired868.com/2014/08/29/hr868-emancipate-me-from-my-boss-asap/
Matthew Noel, here is an excellent piece on public sector reform in T&T: http://wired868.com/2016/05/08/lazy-and-crooked-or-overworked-and-undervalued-the-public-service-dilemma/
Excellent understanding of problems and good recommendations.
‘re: strategic plan-ministries spend thousands to produce fancy documents, the question is, where is the follow through? Keep in mind, your strategic plan sets tone for your budget. So does the Minister of Finance need to get the ball rolling?
Accountability-staff have supervisors, and who report to a P.S. Has anyone who had a bad experience/interaction with a public servant ever written to the P.S.? What was the response, if any? It would be contrary to get a good performance appraisal-which affects your increments-if there are legitimate complaints against you/your service.
(By the same token, if you get good service -given prevailing sentiments-do you also write?)
How do we get public officers to account for their work? And use non-partisan systems of appraisals. It means there must be established standards of work, continuous monitoring and evaluation, constructive feedback, provide basic tools. That seems to be an item missing from article, but which is quite relevant. Shortage of not only staff (qualified and experienced in some instances, as the public sector is different from the private sector, even if it’s the same skill set), but of resources like paper, technology, etc. It makes little sense to put computers if the system is to manually send letters rather than also send via email/fax, records are still paper based and not scanned (check how L&B books are, and the condition). These are all mantras we have been preaching for years. If members of the public have a grouse, write to the P.S., relevant Minister and also to the Minister of Public Admin. Let’s see what happens-it is your tax $, you assess their performance.
It is because the work is being done. It is professionals that is being done to.
I am going on short term 3 years now and I continue to function as if I have a contract. I will not short change people although I am being short change.
Ihu. But…it can be de-motivating.
Extremely but I have bills to pay so I have no choice.
MoE apparently does not care if they lose their employees…there’s always someone else willing to fill the vacancies? As usual no one considers the long term costs of measures such as these. Whose brilliant idea was it anyway? How is this efficient? I’d certainly like to hear the justification for this.
Same at HDC
This is not new at all…
It was happening since before the outgoing Government was in place. I know Operations Officers at Immigration Office who went in under 2 year contracts back in 2008 and when those contracts came to an end they were given month-to-month contracts.
The sad thing is when you hear the jobs on month to month contracts. Imagine officers at OSHA were on short term for about 2 years. It happens in the police service. The forensic pathologist was on short term. Tell me if it makes sense. Hope ppl know their rights. Especially if you are losing out on benefits. Join a union.
Most Nurses under the Ministry of Health share the same fate.
Maybe it’s the whole public service
Mel Lissa…so what is PSA saying? Essentially the gov’t can replace public service jobs with contract work? I even see daily paid jobs being advertised on contract. Nugfw?
NUGFW members employed by the state are daily paid. They receive a gratuity but no pension. Those workers( Not NUGFW members) have no rights outside the period of their contract. They are not covered like permanent workers or those daily paid. The problem is that those positions are not established in the Public Service. There needs to be a job evaluation exercise to bring these positions into the Public Sector as permanent positions. It seems that there is too much bureaucracy or in my opinion the policy position may be to leave it as it is to downsize the Publc Sector. This is the position of Neoliberal advisers such as the IMF and their structural adjustment/New Public Management policy.
There is no union that covers contract workers, essentially. There are some where the union might take your issue if they know you, you have connections, if they think they can benefit… the psa and the workers’ union. but Contract Workers have no union. Another ripe open opportunity that would start with a class action suit
Legislation is needed to bring government in line with the Private sector with HR policies and procedures for adjudication of disputes.
Maven Huggins…any worker can join any union of their choice-unless they have an RMU.
Lester Logie…daily paid workers can be ‘acting’ in a higher position for decades, but when they retire, they retire on benefits of substantive position because the corporation they were employed in did not have a position on establishment that they were acting in. Thus losing out on sometimes hundreds of thousands of $ in benefits. Is this right? Why haven’t the establishments for daily and monthly paid workers been updated?
what does “joining a union” have to do with getting active representation, an agent, effort and resolve on issues???
yeah. sigh
That is part of reforming the Public Sector. Obsolete positions must be replaced by the relevant ones. The Union has to treat with those issues with the government. There is legislation to deal with those public officers acting for years to receive the benefits of the higher office on retirement. NUGFW should seek parity by getting similar legislation enacted.
Maven Huggins…fyi above…51 (5)
Nerisha Mohammed unreadable. does not even blow up.
Maven Huggins … The post that Nerisha Mohammed shared is taken from the Industrial Relations Act of Trinidad and Tobago. You can Google it. It is Available as a PDF document.
This is very unfortunate. Imagine going to a bank and asking for a loan. This sucks and I know it was quite prevalent under the previous administration as well. Governments use these short term contracts to frustrate those hired by the “other” administration and to clean house. It’s also used as a means of firing poor performers. There’s got to be a more suitable alternative.
Ahm…if you were not suitable, then ur performance appraisal should reflect that. Recommend not to renew. Advertise and fill. Not put on short term, hence creating expectation. As for hiring practices, it is up to the public servants (PS) to ensure fair and transparent process. If there is evidence/proof this wasn’t followed, why are none of them before the IC and various parliamentary committees to answer. If not, then it’s mere speculation.
Nerisha Mohammed – you and both know that no one in tnt go to jail for white color crimes?
Ihu. Is only so long you can live in hope. After the 1 year anniversary, that went out the door, sorry to say.
What can possibly be the reason for not giving people at least a 2 year contract? Is this practice saving the Gov’tt money? I really don’t understand it but it frustrates employees
Especially as there is a process to fill contract positions. The contract can be extended if need be instead of giving short term contracts while awaiting approval, which should not take forever. At the very least, a one year contract.
Thanks Mel Lissa, I was wondering if to contribute , and for what purpose. but this has nothing to do with now, a recession, or the ministry of education.
This has been the norm since I returned home in 2003.
Further to that, there are a host of ills that plague contract workers which the govt moved to about the same time I returned home as well. That is a form of slavery as well. like share cropping, you never get anywhere, even if you get paid immense amounts of money because the next dispensation, you sucking salt and if you were smart you living off of what you saved from the last. like me/
There are people who have contracts for three and more years and the system thieves you of your gratuity. i have not received mine from 2010, $152K!!!
Finally, getting these longer contracts are not a panacea or that better off. We cannot go and get normal life loans that are part of living and functioning: house, land, business. you can get one of those exploitative car loans though to profile the land with
IF anyone ever cared to and put out a public notice to hear horror stories of contract workers in TT from 2003 – 2016, one will be shocked and surprised.
And that needs to be done.
Excellent Class Action Suit. that i have not been able to find a lawyer with either sense, vision or balls to enact and pursue.
and it is sad that people are forced to grovel, and take what works against them as opposed to nothing at all/
slavery and sharecropping are not far descriptions at all
Yes
I know as I was there as well.
This has been going on in several government Ministries for years.
National Security, Arts & Multiculture (or whatever it’s being called now), Finance, to name a few
One modern slave present and accounted for.
Lol. I think this whole process de-humanises us. Why not just treat ppl like ppl? Not just $ value but with human needs and emotions. Sigh.
The words ‘modern’ and “Ministry of Education” just don’t seem to correlate at all ….
See here Lasana Liburd. Tanya Carr has skirted the problem with an eloquence that is pivotal to what the issue is………………..in part.
Hahaha
Lasana Liburd…note…the Minister of Labour herself has admitted in Parliament during the budget debate that there are a number of contract officers at the Ministry. What are they doing about this blatant abuse of contract work after almost 15 months? If the job continues, then create or fill the public service position. Do not form committees to tell you common sense. Smh.
This is not a buffer for the politicians but the public service need to be fixed. Unfortunately a certain type of service is still warranted which means persons must be hired. The irony is that those who are charged to fix the public service are also who is hiring the contract worker.
Rishi Maharaj would agree. I will find the blog he did on public sector reform for us.
So why did they sign the contract?
Because they need a job. Times are hard. People are struggling to find work and have families to take care of.
But that shouldn’t be seen as an opportunity for employers to exploit. And it is even worse when the employer in question is the Government.
If you don’t sign the contract, how are you going to be paid?
Trinidad is in an economic recession and people need jobs …. people only accept substandard employment when they have no alternatives …
Tanya Carr…but does that mean the gov’t as the largest employer can exploit the situation?
It was an explanation of why the situation is so bad not an endorsement….
Sadly this as a reality has been with us for quite a while…………….contract or no contract. The major issue here is the length of time it takes for fairness ans equity is to be realized for persons of little financial means. Justice is in the remit of the haves for it comes at a high price.
Op is an utter dunce for a ridic statement as such
But why only object a year later.. why wouldn’t they as a collective refuse the change over to month to month.. reality is these ministries are administratively over staffed .. what is the suggested alternative to the monthly contracts? An increase in taxes to pay an already high wage bill?
Supply and demand Tisha-Marie Dayal. If the current employment situation means that hundreds of unemployed people are waiting to take your job, it weakens your hand.
And you have children to feel, loan payments to make, and rent to pay at month end.
Lasana that’s it tho.. these ministries are already over staffed.. so if not the monthly contract what?!
To continue to live , so that I do not lose my home that I worked hard for .
Then continue to live with the contract you signed because you need to live rather than be like those without any job at all.. reality is we are a small economy with a ridiculously high public sector wages bill
At the time it was my best option . It was far from ideal but the next option is being job less. It’s easy when you are not in a position to have all the answers , but when you have too you do what you must .
Don’t get me wrong I am a private sector contract worker and earn less than the MOE contract workers.. but I read and agreed to my contract before signing it… because I need a job and I like what I do
We complain about increasing taxes but expect money to magically appear to increase wages and create jobs.. it just never makes sense to me .. in this world economy I’m grateful to have a job
Economic issues are not an excuse to abuse workers Tisha-Marie.
The government would treat contract workers shabbily but then allow millionaires to keep illegal contracts for land in Chaguaramas because they don’t want to inconvenience them.
I have a problem with anyone who thinks it is okay to exploit those who haven’t while piling more goodies upon those who have.
The reason why the country is struggling financially is corruption. Not because of paying public sector workers a proper living wage.
A contract worker is just that tho.. a slightly higher wage without the benefits .. so how are they being treated badly?!.. they are not part of the public sector wage bill… it was a way around firing staff as suggested by the IMF in the 80s
Not questioning that corruption exists..
Surely you know it is illegal to have workers indefinitely on contract Tisha-Marie Dayal. Don’t you?
How long is indefinite? Very few contract workers remain so which is why contracts are broken and renegotiated.. and they agree and sign or they walk away..
Lasana Liburd…more than that, the points are clearly articulated in the letter. So…u work for more than 1 year…with no s/l or v/l? Ok. Even minimum wage workers have those terms.
What you’re speaking about is the textbook definition of the exploitation of workers Tisha-Marie.
But you would need to put yourself in someone else’s shoes to see it.
I don’t know and these are just my personal views but I always think if you dislike a job or think it is this unfair .. walk away.. comparing it to slavery where there was no choice is minimizing the awful things in our history.. just my view
Plus…the Minister and the ILO always seem to be speaking about this thing called ‘decent work’ and ‘precarious employment’. Maybe ppl should really know their rights. And read some IC judgments.
That’s a separate point Tisha. Because it doesn’t compare with slavery doesn’t mean they are not being exploited or don’t have a legitimate grievance.
.. sorry ..I read ‘modern day slavery’ which is what started me
Tisha-Marie, I’d say the term modern day slavery in itself shows the author is making a distinction between their problems and slavery.
As a school social worker I loved my job , however the conditions in some schools and the conditions our innocent children are forced to live under is what kept me on a month to month contract . Because while things weren’t ideal for me it was worse for some of the children at our nations school. My passion for making a difference and enriching and enhancing their lives is what has kept me in a broken system
Arlene Yasmine Paul…I think the job market being tough may force some ppl to stay on month to month contract. But if you don’t love what u do, it gets harder and harder to get up everyday to go and do ur duty. Especially under such conditions where sometimes ur basic needs are not even met. What kind of security-financial or otherwise-does such a contract offer?
I disagree .. we as a people I think need to take ownership of our choices..Arlene Yasmine Paul.. I applaud your dedication and passion.. I am there as well with you.. but find it more rewarding in other ways.. not the financial ideal I understand
Nerisha Mohammed none , each person’s reality is different fortunately and unfortunately for me I chose a job that I loved , that truly brought me fulfillment . The reality however is that our system is so messed up and broken that you can become jaded , disenchanted and bitter . The only thing a contract worker gets is a lump sum payment at the end of his contract without the assurance of it being renewed . There are some Ministries where the month to month is not even an option
Education needs to be fixed from the top down. If only I can expatiate more.
You have my attention now!
…………….and I can paint quite picture such that the true nature of education is truly seen in the TnT context, but alas, whistle blowing legislation is yet to be seen on the horizon.
Matthew Noel…hope u not waiting on that! And from indicators/indications…seems even then whistleblowers will be persecuted re: handling of leaked photos of AG’s children at camp.
Everything in education has to be fixed. School plants, curriculum, upgrades, increments, indiscipline, CSEC, name it
Matthew Noel get in contact with me and check out Disclosure Today. We need to talk to see if there is anything we can do to get the truth out there without compromising you. You can IM me if you want.
Rishi Maharaj…you should extend that invitation to all members of Wired, let’s see how it works out as I am sure many are willing to speak out against unethical and or corrupt acts, whichever party is in power.