“[…] Employers, including state enterprises, […] are retrenching their workforce of both unionised and non-unionised employees and hiring labour-supply contractors, to provide low-wage workers (mostly temporary unsecured, non-benefit workers)—thereby greatly reducing their labour costs. “Many refuse to pay NIS, placing this critical retirement, sickness and injury benefit system in jeopardy. …
Read More »Kangalee: Workers must take unions back from ‘mocking pretenders’ posing as leaders
“[…] The leadership of the labour movement has lost credibility and trade union leaders are being seen as ‘smartmen’, confidence tricksters and hustlers along the lines of insurance agents, lawyers, bankers, policemen, politicians and priests. “[…] If we are to defend ourselves, as workers, against the renewed attacks from the …
Read More »Kangalee: What ESOP offer? Dr Rowley offered ‘ghost shares’ to ‘ghost workers’ at Heritage
“[…] Heritage is not a publicly traded company, so how can shares be offered to employees? The share offering Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley referred to with FCB is different, in that FCB is traded on the stock exchange. “Even if Heritage was a publicly traded company, there is no …
Read More »Dear Editor: Can trade unions really embrace Cuba yet ignore its vaccination practices?
“[…] What is the point, you may ask, of summarising the Cuban response to vaccination against Covid-19? “Well, let’s first look at some of the arguments against Government’s proposed policy of ‘semi-safe zones’ in the Public Sector, the expected legislation and its vaccination policy as advanced by T&T’s trade union …
Read More »Kangalee: Dr Rowley’s bluff has failed, and he’s struggling to hold off dissent in his own party
“[…] Pushing his deadline back to 17 February in the hope that his under-fire Attorney General comes up with some legislative arrangement that could pass muster won’t change the price of coconut water. It gives the forces opposed to his policy more time to mobilise. “[…] Most importantly, though, …
Read More »Daly Bread: Confusion without conclusion; Govt’s vaccination drive is industrial relations disaster
One of my compères, who hails from the south-west peninsula and who has retained the good sense rooted in many areas of our country, was dismayed at the outset by the approach of the government when the Prime Minister declared Government’s intention to make vaccination a requirement for persons employed …
Read More »‘Downright dangerous!’ MSJ condemns Jacob’s explanation for use of tear gas on protesters
“[…] What is also of extreme concern was the statement made by more than one senior police officer, including by the CoP (Ag) McDonald Jacob, that the tear gas was used shortly after protesters started chanting ‘Rowley must go’. “Mr Jacob surmised that this chant could have been the precursor …
Read More »Dear Editor: Prime Minister is feeling strain of bungled public sector vaccination drive
“[…] The Prime Minister was forced to concede defeat on his ‘mandatory/safe zones’ initiatives for the public sector. Not only was that completely bungled by his Attorney General-turned-Minister of Labour, recently turned Minister of Marine Affairs, but the labour movements called his bluff. “He now has to move his deadline …
Read More »Noble: Living in a Netflix movie; so much for myth of ‘magic-making’ lawyers in govt
In my former life, I used to be a marketing guy. A product like Netflix, therefore, intrigues me. While most persons only see Netflix’s dominance, I see the brand’s aspirational benefit ‘escape from reality’. The brand connects people with stories, providing fast, easy entertainment. It taps into your feelings as …
Read More »NJAC: Govt must overhaul health system, consult labour workers and implement hazard allowance
“[…] NJAC calls on the Government to urgently implement […] a special hazard allowance or similar benefit […] for all frontline workers throughout the health sector. “NJAC notes with interest, that there is already a precedent for this existing throughout the Caribbean and other parts of the world…” The following …
Read More »Kangalee: The AG is out of his depth and betraying his ignorance of industrial relations
“[…] In Faris Al-Rawi’s upside-down world, a worker is sent home by an employer in an effort to coerce the worker into accepting the employer’s terms and conditions; and if the worker does not accept, she is deemed to have abandoned the job or been dismissed. “In actual practice, if …
Read More »Noble: Leadership to vaccinate; as deaths climb, how will our leaders stop the carnage?
Leaders make a difference to a vaccination drive. When they take a public vaccination, they send a message to their followers or employees that the vaccine is safe and the compassionate thing to do. When leaders act responsibly in this way, others will follow. This behaviour modelling fits into a …
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