WASA workers are on protest over their status with the company. Leroy Baptiste, vice-chairman of the PSA branch of WASA, said on Tuesday that more than 2,548 staff had their permanent status reduced to temporary, during a restructuring programme at the end of last year.
WASA workers back to work
November 18, 2000
To rely on the force of law to keep the WASA workers on their jobs is not a satisfactory resolution.
The issue between WASA and the government is about a restructuring exercise carried out by the authority that has negatively affected hundreds of WASA workers.
That issue is also about the government withholding a decision on whether workers newly classified, as temporary will in fact be made permanent. The new proposal to bring in consultants to overview this entire exercise is clearly unacceptable given the fact that the government previously asked the workers for two months and did not decide within that time. The government should have thought through the entire exercise before disrupting the workers. The government is asking the workers to wait another three months for this new committee to decide on their fate while Election is in a few weeks.
WASA industrial action was aimed at forcing the authority, and the Government, to make up its mind one-way or the other.
Unfortunately, the dispute has severely disrupted the country's water supplies and in doing so has created an intolerable situation.
The blame must be with the government for using these workers in their election ploy. The government knew they could not deliver on their promise of water for all by the year 2000 and these workers are the scapegoats in their election propaganda for not achieving water for all. They will not admit that it is their own dishonesty and poor planning that forced this impasse.
The Prime Minister plays politics with WASA
November 17, 2000
THE Industrial Court yesterday granted an injunction to the Government, forbidding Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) workers from continuing their industrial action.
The injunction, filed by attorneys on behalf of Labour Minister Harry Partap, was delivered to Jennifer Baptiste, president of the Public Services Association (PSA), which represents monthly-paid employees at WASA.
In the injunction, Industrial Court president Addison Khan ordered that protesting workers be "restrained from taking and/or continuing to take industrial action."
Khan said the order was made "upon mature consideration and deliberation."
It was made binding on the members of the PSA, including its president, general secretary, officers, servants, workmen and/or agents and/or its members employed with WASA.
Speaking of the injunction during a news conference at his office in Port-of-Spain, Public Utilities Minister Ganga Singh said the workers were being mandated to return to their jobs.
November 16, 2000
PRIME MINISTER Basdeo Panday has implored WASA workers to stop their protests and allow the people of Trinidad and Tobago to get water in their taps.
“I am begging you. I am asking you. Do not spite our people. There is water and we work hard and spent a lot of money for it. Let our people have their water,” Panday appealed, as he addressed a UNC political meeting at Penal Junction on Tuesday night.
WASA’s communication specialist Gideon Hanoomansingh has confirmed that 88 per cent of WASA workers had been affected by the temporary restructuring.
Panday said: “There are some in the labour movement who are using the trade union movement as industrial relations to further their political ends.”
WASA action causes water shortage
Nov 14, 2000
Trinicenter News
The Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) workers, who have embarked on a sick-out action as they demand letters of permanent appointment, accused Hanoomansingh of undermining their "struggle for better working conditions." An angry worker shouted: "I don't like what you doing; we not taking that. We don't want you in WASA no more. Leave WASA."
Disgruntled employees of the stormed a news conference held by the authority's Corporate Communications Manager, Gideon Hanoomansingh, yesterday.
Some unionised workers, 13 men and a woman, barged into the meeting in a private room at Bel Air Hotel, Piarco.
They accused Hanoomansingh of not telling the truth, the workers shouted at Hanoomansingh to "talk straight to the nation."
One worker accused him of playing games with them.
"People are fighting for their rights and you are undermining our 30-odd years of struggle. You are not working for WASA, you are working against WASA," the angry worker charged. Another worker declared that their issue was about "bread and butter, pampers and flour."
While the men continued to speak loudly, Hanoomansingh sat with his head bowed. He said he had not taken a personal position on the issue, but was only representing the management. "I strongly believe I do not deserve this kind of treatment from my colleagues. I will have to think about my next position. Why should I operate in an environment where my life is at risk?" he wondered aloud.
