N.T.U.C.B.’s Executive Finally Meets with PM Briceño

The meeting came at the request of the N.T.U.C.B.’s executive which initially asked for a meeting with the PM in November 2020. That was three years ago. The executive subsequently made four additional requests. While the Prime Minister has met with the N.T.U.C.B.’s President and First Vice president, it took the Briceño Administration three years to meet with the N.T.U.C.B. executive. The N.T.U.C.B. has since asked the P.M. to meet quarterly. President Luis Luke Martinez says that the P.M. agreed to meet with the executive every six months.

Luis “Luke” Martinez

Luis “Luke” Martinez, President, N.T.U.C.B.  

“We walk into the meeting with certain demands and we walk out with positive responses and feedback. So, I mean, that’s a trait of the National Trade Union Congress when we walk into these meetings. It’s to walk away with something that could be achieved tangibly.”

Hipolito Novelo

“It’s been a long time since the N.T.U.C.B. executive has been asking for this meeting, though.”

Luis “Luke” Martinez

“Yeah, sure. We have been requesting a meeting for a while. And, the time schedule was not allowing us to get around the same table.” 

Hipolito Novelo 

“Your first request was in 2020, though. Three years ago.”

Luis “Luke” Martinez

“So between 2020 and now… I’ve met with the prime minister, me and our first vice president, and several other executive members. But, a meeting with the prime minister and our executive board is the first meeting that we’ve had. Outside of that, we were still able to ensure that the National Trade Union and Congress achieve what we needed to have achieved through the different ministries and so on. So, we were just concerned that as one of the key stakeholders we’ve noted that the PM has been meeting with several stakeholders and we are engaged and reminded him that, look, we’re here, PM, let’s do this.”