NO WAGE, NO WORK

WELCOME TO THE URBAN LIFE, WHERE YOU WONDER IF YOU'RE WORKING FOR FREE

I think that I could be a "seer 'oman" here in Trinidad.
I can predict the pages 2 & 3 stories in the daily newspapers and the headline story in the 7 o'clock news broadcasts. Murder/ kidnapping and protest.
But the way things seem to be going, I'd better really set up a future reading business and make some money as employers seem to be just a little bit too unwilling to pay these days.
And with this, we walk (stomp, shout, sing, beat drums, burn tires and raise placards) right into the heart of the booming "Petroleum Protest Industry" in Trinidad and Tobago.

I recognize that protest action is evident throughout the country and not isolated to urban areas only. But, I've decided to focus on urban life and protest. Protesting is important as it airs the views of the affected public and can result in some positive results for them. This is particularly important in urban areas due to the promises of an urban life. Also, to every action, there is a reaction. In this case, the reaction to protests may be negative on surrounding lives and livelihoods which may be exacerbated in the dense, urban areas.

The promises of the urban life are plentiful. The pull factors of the urban life coupled with the push factors from the rural lifestyle causes many to pack up their "jahaji bundle" and run toward the light.
According to the World Resource Institute, cities, as centres of commerce and industry are also the centres of wealth and political power...Urbanization is associated with higher incomes, improved health, higher literacy, and improved quality of life. Other benefits of urban life are less tangible but no less real: access to information, diversity, creativity and innovation.

But, as the old adage goes, the grass always look greener on the other side. The urban life isn't always what it says it is. We've had a surge in the numbers of people living in urban areas (over 1/3 of the world's population live in urban areas, with populations growing about 2.5% per year). Jobs, services and general lifestyles have to be improved to sustain this influx. And because this may not be happening at the rate it should be, we have social displeasure and unrest leading ultimately to protests bred from frustration.

Let's have a year in review. I will only select few cases.
MARCH 2012 - TCL WORKERS STRIKE
Workers claim too small salaries, too little benefits.

Source: http://jupiter.guardian.co.tt/news/2012-03-01/cops-share-licks-tcl-strikers

OCTOBER 2012 - EAST PORT-OF-SPAIN RESIDENTS
Residents, absorbed into the 'People and Projects for Progress' initiative by the Government, protested against the $69./day pay rate.

Source: ctntworld.com

MARCH 2013 - UWI NON-ACADEMIC STAFF
Workers protest against the 5% pay increase proposed by the UWI. They say they are still getting 2008 salaries.

(Shot in New Admin. Building, UWI, STA)

MARCH 2013 - T&TEC RETIREES
Retirees, who are supposed to be enjoying their golden years, are instead placarding for the money that they are owed.

General trend? No pay. Not enough pay.
The number one reason persons leave the rural area is to get jobs that pay better in order to support their families and provide a better life. But, it seems that if you are even able to secure a job, the amount of money paid, the time the salary is paid is still poor. We encourage rural to urban migration, yet do not have or upkeep the resources to ensure that the migrants are adequately supported.

But protests in Trinidad aren't only wage based. We recognize that the Government, in the end, control the type and quality of life we live.
SEPTEMBER 2012
Citizens came out to get answers to the Section 34 fiasco. Preferential treatment to certain members of the public affect us all. These people of stature are usually the models that others follow. We all want to achieve some level of financial stability and high social reputation. Maybe that's part of the reason that dragged us to the urban life. And to reach here, continue to struggle and see other people get treated differently because of their status, angered citizens.

Source: http://guardian.co.tt/news/2012-09-19/protesters-demand-answers

MARCH 2013 - PETROTRIN WORKERS STRIKE
Workers claim government interference in higher ranks within the company and poor medical plans.
And the workers were blue mad. Each person works and believe that their hard work will be rewarded. This reward is mostly seen in the form of promotion. It is claimed that promotions that workers are denied because places are being filled by persons with "links" to the government. There were publicized cases of this occurring already with the government so who is to say the workers' claims are unfounded? But also, there are vacancies that need to be filled that aren't, resulting in heavier work loads. It's a quandary down at Petrotrin.

Protest and airing views are all well and good and maybe even necessary in a democratic society. But, we must remember that outside the protesting family, there are other lives that are being affected.

Case#1 : The protest at UWI led to the New Administration Building. I had the 'fortune' of being on the 2nd floor. I heard the music and bobbed my head enjoying, thinking that Milner Hall was having a concert again. To my dismay, when I was ready to exit the building, I came across this mob of people outside the building, the automatic doors shut. I had class! And I was locked in! So we stood, the mob and I on opposite sides of a glass wall, each longing to be where the other was. Lo! The door opened and in danced the mob backing me into a corner. So, I captured a video (above) and then fought my way through, praying that a TV6 camera doesn't catch me to give my mother ideas that I protest in school.

Case #2 : The 7 day Petrotrin protest cost the company $700 mil. This puts the company's motto into perspective. They are indeed powered by the people (workers).

Source: petrotrin.com

But, Petrotrin is also state-owned. Negative repercussions for them means negative repercussions for all of us. On Feb 27th, six collective agreements were signed that gave workers 9% salary increases and 10% increase in allowances across the board. Perhaps, we can say the protest action was ill-timed after they got benefits that others will fight for and will have more negative consequences for more people than positive reactions for the workers only. Now, only time will tell.

I'd conclude that protests may be necessary but are definitely not enjoyable for the 'protestors, protestees and the caught-in-the-middles'.
Maybe the urban life needs to start to live up to its promises and provide a better life to reduce the frustration of its inhabitants.
Maybe companies, institutions, organizations... should just pay the people. They should learn by now that NO WAGE = NO WORK.
I warn you though, don't be surprised by many more protest action. After all in April 2012, OWTU's President General warned the PM and the country by large, that massive protests are on the way.


Sources:
Guardian Editorials (www.guardian.co.tt/editorials)
http://www.guardian.co.tt/editorial/2013-03-22/petrotrin-and-union-must-work-together
Cities and the Environment (http://www.wri.org/publication/content/8570)
http://guardian.co.tt/news/2012-04-16/roget-warns-pm-massive-protests
http://www.tntfinder.com/news/uwi-tells-owtu-current-staff-protests-illegal-listing-543.aspx
Human Geography, Places and Regions in Global Context: Paul Knox & Sallie A. Marston