CPO accuses PSA of inaccuracy

Trinidad Guardian, issue 1338, Wednesday 15 March 2000

SANDRA MARCHACK, Chief Personnel Officer in the Public Service, has questioned the Public Services Association's commitment to the negotiating process for public servants.

The PSA is currently in talks with the CPO for the new collective agreement 1999-2001. Last week, the PSA rejected the CPO's offer of a salary increase of zero in the first year, one per cent in the second year and two per cent in the third year. The union also complained the CPO took 14 months to reach that figure.

Marchack also accused PSA president Jennifer Baptiste of inaccuracy of the present process as related to the media. She called the PSA's cry of deliberate delay in negotiations as "incorrect," since the PSA reached agreement on other items.

She also proposed discussions resume at 10 am on either March 21 or March 22, at the Personnel Department's Conference Room on St Vincent Street. Tomorrow, the PSA will hold a lunch-time protest march from its headquarters on Abercromby Street.