On Friday evening, a sea of disgruntled workers gathered outside the Prime Minister’s official residence in Trinidad and Tobago, their voices echoing under heavy rain as they protested a controversial salary increase awarded to the nation’s leadership. The demonstration, led by the Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU), alongside the Communication Workers Union and the Aviation Communication and Allied Workers Union, was driven by a call for political accountability.
The unions, fiercely opposing the government’s decision to approve the hefty pay raise recommended by the Salaries Review Commission (SRC), are demanding that the proposal be presented in Parliament for public debate. Protesters, including workers from the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC), voiced their anger, accusing Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley and his government of lining their pockets while the average citizen faces economic hardship.
Although Dr. Rowley is currently in Barbados, the protesters were undeterred and made their way to the Diplomatic Centre, St. Ann’s, sending a clear message that their movement is ready to intensify if their demands are not met. OWTU President General Ancel Roget decried the government’s actions, particularly pointing out that T&TEC workers have not seen a salary increase in over a decade, with current negotiations stagnating.
Roget blasted the government’s “arrogance,” claiming that the 47.2% salary hike for politicians comes at a time when the standard of living for the people of Trinidad and Tobago has significantly worsened. He also criticized the government’s handling of the country’s crime, energy, and economic sectors, labeling their approach as “total mismanagement.”
The protests have drawn widespread support from other groups, including the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM), which called the decision an “arrogant disregard” for the nation’s workers and citizens struggling to make ends meet. The movement has been particularly vocal about the lack of meaningful wage increases for the public sector, with workers enduring stagnated wages and rising living costs.
David Abdulah, Political Leader of the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ), echoed the unions’ concerns, arguing that the Prime Minister’s justification for the salary hike—claiming hard work as a rationale—was dismissive of the citizens who have endured years of wage freezes. Abdulah also pointed out that many public servants have been forced to accept modest salary increases, with some receiving as little as four to five percent, while politicians appear to be getting far more.
Abdulah contended that the decision reflects a government more concerned with its own welfare than that of the people it is meant to serve. He urged the public and unions to organize and escalate their protests to make the government reconsider its actions. He further suggested that the politicians’ performance, especially amid high crime rates and a faltering economy, does not warrant such a pay increase.
“If there was a proper performance appraisal system in Trinidad and Tobago, would these politicians deserve such an increase? Based on the current state of crime, the economy, and public services, the answer is no,” Abdulah stated.
As protests continue, workers and citizens remain steadfast in their call for transparency and fairness, demanding a government that prioritizes the people’s needs over its own self-interest.
