Over 2,000 Nurses protest in Trinidad over salary and working conditions

Trinidad and Tobago: Over 2,000 nurses took to streets in Port of Spain to protest against the government of Trinidad and Tobago for salary hike, better working conditions and overtime rates on April 10, 2026. Led by the Trinidad and Tobago Nursing Association (TTNA), the nurses marched to the Ministry of Health Head office on Charlotte Street, gathered at the Port of Spain General Hospital and on the Brian Lara Promenade.

Several demands have been outlined by the nurses amidst the chanting of “Solidarity Foreover”, and wearing the blue T-shirts. They were also joined by the members of various other unions. Nurses demanded increment in the wages as promised by the Ministry of Finance, better working conditions as they outlined the negligence in the patient care across the hospitals and overtime rates.

The protest has been ignited by an NCRHA decision to reduce nurses’ overtime hourly rates, known as pool from $75 hourly to $60 hourly. Due to this, the protestors also gathered outside the Ministry of Finance and TTNNA President Idi Staurt added that the healthcare workers must reject the pool and to demand they be paid the time and a half, double time and triple time offered to all other classes of workers.

He said, “We have no more time. No more patience for platitude. No more patience for promises. We want the government to deliver what you promise on the platform.” He also indicated that if the favourable steps and answers were not given by the government and the ministries by the end of the day, they would take further strict actions.

However, Health Minister Dr Lackram Bodoe on the other hand, added that there is no health crisis in Trinidad and Tobago at this time. He also thanked all healthcare workers for their diligent work at RHAs, while the nurses demanded the immediate resignation from the NCRHA Chairman Dr Tim Gopeesingh.

Notably, the protest from the nursing association and other healthcare staff of Trinidad and Tobago has been ignited since March 2026. While complaining about the bad working conditions and stalled salaries, the nurses and other healthcare staff have hosted several protests at different venues in the last 15 to 20 days.

Starting from March 7, 2026, nurses staged a protest at San Fernando General Hospital on wage negotiations and a promised salary increase. At the time, nurses emphasized that they were promised by the Ministry of Finance that the matter would be addressed.

The matter didn’t get resolved, but further got ignited when the NCRHA announced the working hour saga. On March 31, 2026, nurses and staff from various hospitals staged a silent demonstration at the rear entrance of the Mt Hope Hospital, raising concerns over understaffing, wages and general working conditions at the facility.

However, silence from the government further provoked the workers and the nurses due to the nursing associations announcing a big and major demonstration that was held on April 10, 2026.

Now, the things are still tight between the nurses and the governments, indicating further strict actions.

As per the reports, the Trinidad and Tobago National Nursing Association will roll out a 15-point action plan to its membership by the end of the week in response to the Health Minister’s claim that their march on Friday had no effect on the health sector.