Protesting workers stand their ground

THE anticipated influx of returning workers to Atlantic LNG’s Train IV construction site failed to materialise yesterday, when under the watchful eyes of dozens of policemen and security personnel, workers vowed to continue their nine-week strike action until the project’s main contractor, Bechtel International, engage in direct negotiations with the workers’ representatives. From as early as 5 am, hundreds of workers began arriving at the main gates to the construction site, some carrying their work bags, in anticipation of returning to the job site.

Bechtel last week made a new offer to the protesting workers. And with open gates before them, together with a large contingent of police officers standing by to ensure law and order, the workers assembled at the strike camp for a briefing by their representatives. Leading the battery of speakers was Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU) Trinmar branch president Ancil Roget, who observed that worker exploitation would become “worse,” if the striking workers broke rank and returned to the construction site without a written agreement.

“The gates wide open, but if you go back inside the exploitation of workers will only be worse without a formal agreement,” Roget charged. He also slammed the Patrick Manning Government, saying the PNM had “turned their backs on the workers.” “The workers are standing strong and I want to advise the Prime Minister and his Cabinet that there can be no Vision 2020 if workers’ issues are not addressed,” he said. Roget also slammed  a Government proposal for a 46-bed hospital to service the needs of the Borough, saying what was needed was “nothing less than a 200-bed hospital.”  

In full agreement was president of the protesting workers association Ernest Thompson, who described the proposed health institution as a “hospital parlour.” He said any Point Fortin hospital should be equipped with a burn unit and heliport. He too reiterated workers’ position that the work stoppage, now in its ninth week, would continue until Bechtel met with the workers representatives. Thompson also admitted that while a number of workers had come with packed work bags, they had opted to remain on the picket line. “The workers have firmly rejected the latest offer by Bechtel, which in some cases represents an increase of 72 cents and 50 cents. That is an insult to us,” Thompson said.