by Curlan Campbell

• Union expects conciliation to produce a fair outcome reflecting what was agreed upon during negotiations last year
• Conciliation must affirm commitments made in September
• TAMCC employees are already taking home less money than they did last year

Workers at the T A Marryshow Community College (TAMCC), supported by the Public Workers Union (PWU), gathered outside the college holding placards as they prepared for a crucial conciliation session with the Labour Commissioner.

The union said it is entering the process with confidence, insisting that the evidence overwhelmingly supports workers’ demands for a 5% wage increase in 2025 and 4% annually from 2026 to 2028.

PWU President General Daisy Hazzard made it clear that the union expects the conciliation to produce a fair outcome — one that reflects what was already agreed upon during negotiations last year. “As we prepare to go off to conciliation, meeting with the labour commissioner… we know for a fact that the victims here are the employees,” Hazzard said. “We’ve been long suffering. We’ve been patient in attempting to ensure that this matter remained within the confines of social dialogue.”

Hazzard stressed that the union did not want to resort to industrial action, but once compelled to take that route, workers will see it through. “Whenever industrial action becomes our only course… we do not back down at all until we succeed in our just cause.”

She emphasised that the conciliation must affirm the commitments made in September. “The outcome… must be in the favour of workers and unions, because the compendium of evidence and data that will be presented will conclude for that outcome,” she said. “What was agreed upon at the table in September must be what the workers and union walk away with.”

According to Hazzard, the evidence clearly supports workers’ claims. “The evidence will show… a process that will give workers their 5% increase for 2025 and 4% respectively for the period of ‘26 to ‘28.”

A central point of the union’s argument is that TAMCC employees are already taking home less money than they did last year. “When 2025 started… employees… went home with a reduced income from 2024,” Hazzard explained. “They started paying into a pension fund, 3%… There was no consultation with them.” She added that workers also now pay an increased NIS contribution. “Even the 5% that we are fighting for… they’ve already paid 3.5% from their salaries.”

For some employees, the 5% increase represents less than $100 — another point the union said underscores the fairness of their request.

Hazzard also highlighted challenges with government-led negotiations that she hopes the conciliation will help resolve.

As the union awaits the labour commissioner’s decision, Hazzard stressed that the college’s staff and stability are vital to the nation. “This should be the last time… anyone sees TAMCC workers outside protesting just for basic wages,” she said. “Without the college, we have no workforce… no tertiary graduates… prepared to serve Grenada or the wider world.”

Hazzard said the union will update members once the conciliation concludes and will inform the public if necessary.

Similarly, on Wednesday, 10 December 2025, the Grenada Union of Teachers (GUT), representing its workers, also continued industrial action and was present in significant numbers.

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