The Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) is prepared for “serious battle” with Government once there was no moves to improve the salary of teachers.
Speaking on the Brian Lara Promenade after a march through the streets of Port-of-Spain by teachers on Tuesday, TTUTA President Lynsley Doodhai said, “I am signalling to the Chief Personnel Officer and the Minister of Finance that TTUTA has taken off the proverbial kids’ gloves and we are prepared to engage in serious battle with the powers that be.”
Thousands of teachers stayed away from classes on Tuesday as they heeded the call by TTUTA to engage in a peaceful protest through the streets of Port-of-Spain.
Doodhai said it was unacceptable that they were still waiting on counter-proposals from the CPO for salary negotiations for the period October 1, 2014, to September 30, 2017.
He said, “We have been hearing the cries of our members. We know you are frustrated. We know you are angry and not prepared to take this disrespect any longer.”
Doodhai said teachers were affected by the rising cost of living and were forced to absorb three increases in the price of fuel since the last salary negotiation in December 2014.
Education Ministry figures indicated there was a 44.5 percent and 36.7 percent turnout of teachers and students respectively in secondary schools.
While in primary schools there was a 37.53 percent turnout of teachers and 31.54 percent of students turned up for classes.
In the seven educational districts in Trinidad, there was a total of 76,525 secondary school students and only 28,024 reported for classes on Tuesday.
Out of a total of 109,408 primary school students, only 34,506 students reported to school on Tuesday, the ministry said.
