By Alicia Chamely
MORE than 900 National Insurance Board of Trinidad and Tobago (NIB) current and former employees are set to receive the backpay and salary adjustments for the period January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2016.
Members of the PSA, led by President Felisha Thomas, met with staff at the NIB head office, Port of Spain, on Monday to finalise the documentation for outstanding arrears.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Thomas reiterated her gratitude for the United National Congress (UNC) government’s promise to support workers rights and grant them their due pay.
Reflecting on the long-lasting industrial relations dispute that stemmed from NIBTT being blocked from paying the legally agreed-upon increases and arrears, Thomas said, “It was unfortunate to know that an organization that is self-sufficient and did not require funding from the government to pay their workers was withheld from doing so just for political gain.”
“Today, workers are free from that type of victimisation,” she added.
The release of these funds would benefit 600 employees and 350 former employees and retirees of NIBTT.
Last Friday, during her contribution in the Lower House, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced she NIBTT had been instructed to implement the salary adjustments and pay the arears owed, as had been agreed upon for the collective barging period January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2016.
Persad-Bissessar said, “Today, my government has acted decisively to correct this grave injustice and to restore what was denied for far too long. In doing so, we are reinstating the dignity of workers, reaffirming their humanity, and upholding the rule of law as the bedrock of our democracy.”
PSA confident in 10% Promise
With the 2025/26 National Budget being presented in early October, Thomas was asked as to whether the PSA felt confident the government would honour its word to start wage negotiations for the periods 2014 to 2016 and 2017 to 2019 at 10%.
Pointing out that thus far the Kamla Persad-Bissessar led government had kept true to their campaign promises, she said, “We have all the faith that this government will honour the promise of 10%.”
Under the previous administration public servants were offered a 4% increase, which was rejected by the PSA.
