And the unions aren’t finished with Finnegan. They are also taking him to task for comments made about the KHMH Commission of Inquiry. It has already been appointed but last week the unions to have a say in who will be the Chairman. This is even though – they were already granted one nominee on the three member commission. Here again is what Finnegan had to say and the union’s response.
Hon. Michael Finnegan, Minister of Housing
“They want to tell the Prime Minister who must be the Chairperson of this man’s Commission of Inquiry. I think that is going a bit too far. We want to work with them, we want to cooperate with them, we respect them but it must be reciprocal.”
Javier Roberts, General Secretary – NTUCB
“Like we said in our correspondence to the PM we are making certain recommendations, it is just recommendations. It is up to him whether he wants to take all recommendations, part, or disregard it in its entirety. But when we look at the Commission of Inquiry, we have participated and under the previous government with the DFC Commission and the present government was the opposition and then the opposition and they fully supported the composition that we had agreed to which was one representative of government, one representative of the unions, which is NTUCB, and then the Chair was mutually agreed to. That is all we were asking for.
They supported it back then so we were just suggesting that they keep the same format this time around. The Prime Minister has all right to appoint the Chair but we were just saying we would like an input. Also we would like an input on the terms of reference that is just natural when you are asked to participate in something.”
Keith Swift,
“So you are saying what they agreed to when they were in opposition in terms of selecting the Chairman, they are not so willingly to do when they are in government.”
Javier Roberts,
“It appears so.”
The trade unions are also unhappy with the amendment to the Essential Services Act. They say weren’t consulted.
Javier Roberts,
“Actions such as sickouts, actions such as go slow, are a few of the limited actions that you those unions that operate under the Essential Services have available in order to bring whosoever they are negotiating or have a dispute with to the table to have a amicable solution. It is clearly evident with the KHMH situation. We firmly believe the actions of the doctors was what resulted in the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding and the instituting of the Commission of Inquiry. So it does work and there was no significant deterioration of the services or effects on the public that use the essential services.
There is no need for the Prime Minister or anyone out there to fear that these actions will seriously affect the essential services which the unions operate under. We are responsible and we know that people rely on these services and are only done in extreme cases.”
Keith Swift,
“Were the unions consulted?”
Javier Roberts,
“No we did not. We hope that the Prime Minister reconsiders his position. This could seriously affect the unions and its really in contravention of ILO principles.”
