The TT Unified Teachers' Association (TTUTA) has written to the Ministry of Education and Minister of Finance seeking clarification on when a negotiated five per cent wage increase for the period October 1, 2020, to September 30, 2023, would be implemented.
A November 25 release signed by newly appointed president Crystal Ashe said TTUTA first wrote to the Ministry of Education, which indicated it is awaiting formal instructions from the Ministry of Finance. However, he said the association was assured that once a directive was given, the required processing would begin immediately. Given this information, Ashe said a letter was also sent to the Minister of Finance demanding a clear timeline for the payments to be made. He added that members would be informed once it issues guidance.
"Educators deserve transparency and timely information, and the Association continues to advocate vigorously on behalf of all members to ensure matters are clarified without further delay," Ashe said.
The TTUTA president referenced Minister of Finance Davendranath Tancoo's October 13 budget presentation in the parliament, where he told members of the Teaching Service, the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force, and the Port of Spain and San Fernando City Corporations, that this Government will ratify the Collective Agreements signed in April 2025 between the Chief Personnel Officer and their respective Association/Union/Committee.
"The recurrent cost of implementing these Agreements is estimated at $214 million annually, with arrears of $730 million as of December 2025," the minister said at the time.
Meanwhile, Newsday was unable to reach Public Services Association (PSA) President Felisha Thomas to respond to media reports contradicting her claim that the association received a formal offer of ten per cent following a meeting at the office of the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) on November 21.
A November 25 Guardian newspaper report cited an unnamed source within the CPO office as saying the letter did not contain an official offer but rather had a promise that the offer would be made subject to negotiations.
Former Minister of Finance Colm Imbert chose to withhold comment on the unfolding situation during a press conference at the Opposition Leader's Office. Though reserving a pronouncement on the situation, he reiterated that funding was not allocated in the 2026 budget for the salary increase and associated backpay.
"There is no budgetary allocation in the 2026 appropriation for the payment of the increase or the payment of backpay. So if it is to be paid, the government will have to come to the Parliament to increase the budgetary allocation for 2026. Now, they could do something unusual, some might even say irregular, and use money allocated for something else to pay it, but that would be quite dangerous. If they do that, then they would have to replenish wherever they get that money from, and they will have to come to the parliament to do a second budget for 2026. If it is to be paid, there has to be a second budget for 2026."
The PSA rejected the previous administration's four per cent wage increase offer and joined the UNC on the campaign trail for the April 28 polls, which promised public servants a ten per cent increase.
Delivering the budget presentation, Tancoo said the CPO would be instructed to offer the PSA the promised ten per cent increase.