The Contractors and General Workers Trade Union (CGWTU) has issued an urgent demand for immediate cash payments of outstanding wages to its members employed at the San Fernando City Corporation. Union president Ermine De Bique-Meade delivered a forceful address during a December 4th press conference at the union’s Rushworth Street headquarters, setting a definitive deadline of December 22nd for settlement of all arrears.
De Bique-Meade directly appealed to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar for intervention, emphasizing the critical timing ahead of the holiday season. The demanded payments stem from collective bargaining agreements covering periods 2014-2017 and 2017-2019, which were formally signed on April 24th under the previous administration, just days before the United National Congress (UNC) assumed power following the April 28th general elections.
The union leader referenced Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo’s October 13th budget presentation commitment to ratify several public sector agreements, including those affecting municipal workers. Drawing parallels to the Public Services Association’s recent successful negotiation for $3.8 billion in back pay, De Bique-Meade insisted on similar cash disbursements rather than deferred payment arrangements, declaring, ‘Cash! Cash! Cash! Nothing else than cash because you can’t take anything else to the grocery!’
In a notable strategic move, De Bique-Meade highlighted the union’s yellow branding—matching the UNC’s party colors—and reminded officials of their pre-election collaboration. ‘This colour sat around the table and had discussions with him,’ she stated, adding, ‘When you all needed us, we were there! We need you all now!’
The union president confirmed that approximately 800 municipal workers are affected by the delayed payments. While expressing confidence in the Prime Minister’s willingness to ‘do the right thing,’ De Bique-Meade acknowledged that only the current state of emergency provisions prevented immediate street protests, suggesting the union would otherwise have been ‘outside Parliament’ demonstrating.