Workers of the TA Marryshow College have taken to streets to demonstrate their displeasure with the response given by the negotiating team of government and the TAMCC management body over the long standing issue of increments. Wearing union jerseys together with placards, workers stood united on the lawns of the Botanical Gardens roundabout, which sought to send a message to government that the workers are serious about their payments that are due to them since 2013.
According to president of the Public Workers Union Rachael Roberts, Thursdays action by workers is as a result of a long standing issue. The longer it remains outstanding she says the strength of the dollar decreases.
Roberts tells the media that the workers have had enough, making significant sacrifices while waiting patiently for six years. She says government has offered to pay one year which is 2014. This she says is not satisfactory to them. For the duration of time waited, one year would not do anything for them. TAMCC is a statutory body which receives a subvention from government and Roberts says they met with the minister of education as well as the chairman of the board and principal of the college. The union leader notes that they have asked for just two years’ worth of increments with the total payment amounting to over six million dollars.
Roberts says they are willing to take the remainder in 2020. They have asked for two years in 2019 by December 16th, one payment by January of 2020 and the remainder by February of 2020. The PWU president says industrial action will continue, emphasising that several of the workers under Grenada Union of Teachers have yet to join the struggle because of ongoing student examinations.
