Problems ahead for S.S.B. if C.B.A. not signed soon

Gonzalez says Singh has been consulting with the former S.S.B. chair and board members, but the union does not see the need for further consultations since the negotiations have been completed.  The union president says they are at the end of their rope and if the agreement is not signed in the near future, they will resort to other actions.

Antonio Gonzalez, President, Christian Workers Union

“On this thirty-first anniversary of Social Security Board, the Union with its members decided to express outwardly their dissatisfaction, their deep concerns towards management—the board because they have a board now, the chairman in regards that not signing this collective agreement; we want to sign this collective agreement. We want to have something in place, even though there’s an agreement still working in place, but we want this new agreement to be put in place. So we’re calling on the chairman, Mr. Singh please sign this collective agreement now. We are calling on you, please sign the collective agreement; too long; frustration on top of frustration for our members. We want this collective agreement signed now. That is our message to you, the board of directors on this thirty-first anniversary of the Social Security Board.”

Delahnie Bain

Antonio Gonzalez

“What will you all be doing to bring pressure on them if this CBA is not signed soon?”

Antonio Gonzalez

“First of all, we have to call on the labor commissioner; he was a part of this process, he knows well what is going on. So as the legal person between both parties, he should see that this document be signed by both parties. We are prepared as we mentioned over and over, we are prepared to sign it. there’s no feeding back in fact we understand—we don’t know if it’s true—that S.S.B. wants to re-negotiate some of the things so that would cause a lot of problems. I di tell yoh, we wah close down S.S.B. you know. If ih necessary, we wah close it down. We close it down already last year fourteenth of February on Valentine’s Day and we have all intentions to pursue stronger measures. But as a responsible union, we would like to make the circumstances play out in a positive way by both parties. But we noh di tolerate no nonsense. We tired ah di nonsense from these people. Let us sign the agreement, that’s all we are saying. But yes, we intend to put more pressure but at this stage I cannot divulge or inform the public of what measures or what industrial action can be taken.”

The S.S.B. issued a release on its anniversary but it was silent on the protest.