SVGTU outgoing president Oswald Robinson is fiercely defending the organization’s right to protest, warning that the union will push to remove the Minister of Education if abrupt changes to teachers’ benefits continue without proper consultation.
Addressing recent public backlash in an interview with SVG TV, the union representative firmly denied any intentions to incite violence or bring down the government, characterizing their actions strictly as union advocacy. However, the leader doubled down on a targeted warning to the education ministry.
“I said we will get rid of the Minister of Education if you continue down that kind of road,” the speaker stated, citing the immense difficulty teachers face when decades-old accumulated benefits are threatened by “radical moves” made without proper dialogue.
The leader emphasized that protest is a fundamental trade union right and that strong rhetoric is sometimes necessary to make authorities grasp the seriousness of unresolved issues.
Pushing back against accusations of political bias or personal ambition, the representative highlighted the union’s long history of objective social action. This includes leading a protest against the former government in 2015, speaking out against vaccine mandates, and exposing poor school conditions, such as issues with dogs and fleas at local schools.
“The government do good, I say do good. If you do bad, I say do bad,” the leader explained, noting that ultimately, the union and the government must still work together. The representative stressed that they have no personal agenda and simply want to see justice for their members, warning that without strong advocacy, members might feel the union is secretly working hand-in-glove with the authorities.
Looking ahead, the union identified the “Adriana King” situation as another major issue that could trigger strike action. Currently, however, the union is holding off on protests regarding this specific matter to give the authorities a chance to respond, having recently written a letter to the cabinet requesting their official position on the issue.