Ex-OAS workers collect backpay

Newsday spoke with an OAS Oilfield Workers Trade Union shop steward, who asked to remain anonymous, who said workers, many of whom have yet to find employment since losing their jobs, were called out to collect cheques after a year of negotiations between the OWTU and the National Infrastructure Development Company (NIDCO) following the latter’s firing of OAS, for abandoning construction of the now stalled Point Fortin highway.

NIDCO chairman Herbert George told Newsday that although workers were not contracted for labour by NIDCO, the company took upon itself the responsibility of offering some redress to workers.

“When OAS left, they left quite a few creditors, some of whom have sought redress in the courts for equipment and so on,” George said. “But workers have no such way of getting similar redress.” Herbert said the OWTU sought redress for 909 workers and NIDCO agreed to pay them 100 percent of their severance packages and 50 percent fringe benefits owed by OAS.

Workers were asked to present IOUs given to them by OAS detailing the money owed by the company and NIDCO checked it against copies of the IOUs which OAS luckily left behind.

Herbert said the payment represented only around 35 percent of the money owed to workers, however.

They are still owed backpay for salary increments not paid over five years, vacation, and salaries for two fortnights.

Asked whether workers could expect to be paid the remaining money, George said NIDCO has a duty to complete the construction of the highway using whatever money remained for the project since OAS’ departure. If the cost of the highway’s completion turns out to be less than the contracted amount, the difference would be used to offer further redress to workers.