The trade unions representing employees of HEART Trust/NTA have written to minister of finance and planning Dr Omar Davies seeking his intervention into their salaries dispute.

“The Trust is advancing the matter of inability to pay arising from budgetary constraints, as well as strictures imposed by your ministry’s compensation unit,” the letter said. “The unions are prepared to bring closure to these negotiations once a reasonable offer outside the 20 per cent over two years can be made. Your intervention at this stage is necessary in order to ensure industrial harmony within the organisation.”

HEART Trust/NTA workers went on strike earlier this month in support of their claim for increased pay, but were ordered back to work by the Industrial Disputes Tribunal.

The over 1,000 workers at 26 institutions islandwide stopped working after the Trust indicated that it was unable to honour their request for a 20 per cent increase in year one and 10 per cent in year two. The institution’s management said it was unable to offer more than 13 per cent in year one and seven per cent in year two.