
Click to view full size
The Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) returned to Fyzabad yesterday with Ancel Roget declaring victory in labour’s long struggle to remove the People’s National Movement (PNM) from government. Standing on the JTUM platform at Charlie King Junction, the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) President General called on the new administration to now claw back the 47 per cent salary increase granted to former prime minister Dr Keith Rowley, which allows him to receive a $1 million pension.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar later joined hundreds of unionists who had earlier braved the persistent drizzle and grey skies yesterday, taking shelter under umbrellas or proudly walking through the rain, as they assembled at Avocat Junction for the Labour Day march. The procession, swelling in numbers compared to previous years, moved along Fyzabad Road toward Charlie King Junction—pulsing with the beat of drums and chants for justice.
It was more than just another rally. It was a statement. Union members waved cocoyea brooms in open mockery of the PNM’s election song Sweeping Time. A cricket bat labelled UNC knocked a ball marked PNM, symbolising a clean political dismissal. Bell men, moko jumbies, and flag bearers added Carnival-like energy to a march laced with both satire and seriousness.
The portable companion to gazettE. Get notifications, track read articles, and more. The latest news from Trinidad and Tobago, in one place.
Related stories
See articles related to "Roget calls on PM to rescind Rowley’s $1M pension; union leaders celebrate PNM’s defeat"