The Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) has claimed victory following its day of "rest and reflection" yesterday to force the government to offer more than four per cent salary increase.
Educators were asked to stay away from classes on what was the start of the new academic year yesterday and after the day ended, TTUTA president Antonia Tekah-Defreitas told Guardian Media the call was resoundingly heeded.
However, the Ministry of Education gave slightly different figures to TTUTA, although they too showed high numbers of absenteeism by teachers.
TTUTA president Antonia Tekah DeFreitas said initial figures show almost 90 per cent of its members stayed home as they continue to protest the four per cent wage offer.
She says since 2015, TTUTA had submitted proposals to the chief personnel officer (CPO) for the salary negotiations for the period 2014-17.
The CPO office responded to the union in 2020.
Last Friday, the Trinidad and Tobago government maintained its position of negotiating a four per cent wage increase for public servants, warning that calls by some trade unions for significant wage increases would lead to government having to find billions of dollars to meet back pay and annual salaries.
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