WORKERS of the Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) are disappointed that they have not been working within the terms of their contract.

Between 1994 and 1995, PTSC workers were given Voluntary Separation of Employment Packages (VSEP), then re-hired as part-time drivers and mechanics.

However, since being re-employed, they have been working without the terms and conditions of their contracts.

“We can’t even take a day off because we are afraid that we wouldn’t get paid,” said a spokesman for the workers.

Workers protest outside City Gate, Port of Spain.

“This is becoming overbearing for us.”

Clyde Paris, who is a part-time PTSC worker told TnT Mirror: “Some of the retired workers have not been paid their severance packages as yet.

“This is ridiculous.”

In 1998, the matter of the workers’ benefits with regards to Section 175 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention came up before the Industrial Court, and in March 2005, the court ruled in favour of the workers.

The ILO Convention states that employers should provide the best possible wages, benefits and conditions of work for the workers within certain framework.

However, PTSC has never adhered to the convention of providing the workers with sick, casual and vacation leave.

“We feel that we are not recognised by PTSC,” said one of the workers who demonstrated about the situation on PTSC’s compound last week.

The part-time workers also feel that they should be recognised as full-time staff since they have to work similar hours as the full-time employees.

“In addition, we (the part-time staff) make up two-thirds of the workforce,” another worker noted.

The protestors told Mirror that the reason for the demonstration is to highlight their problems in the hope that the Minister of Labour Danny Montano will intervene and order PTSC to give them their due.