Union leader slams colleagues on plans to shut down country

Port-of-Spain: The leader of one of the country's largest trade unions, Watson Duke, who heads the Public Service Association, is condemning fellow trade union leaders for planning a national strike in response to the government's refusal to meet their demands so far.

Duke is also criticising the leader of the Oilfield Workers Trade Union, Ancil Roget who is leading the joint trade union team.

Duke says that his members will boycott the general strike and he says that the plans by the labour movement to meet with his membership will not be taken likely as members will be up in arms on their arrival.

He says that Roget's plans to host town meetings in Arima and Point Fortin is part of his plan to enter the political arena.

The joint trade union movement has been battling with the government over what they claims is a 5% wage cap. Duke says that Roget and all the other leaders were never part of this struggle and only continue the fight because of him.

The PSA president insists that the unions are unfair, seeing the economic challenges facing the world.

He notes that most of the unions that are clamoring will go before the courts and may get less than the 5% percent.

The joint trade union movement will visit PSA members at the San Fernando General Hospital on Thursday.