Protests outside Petrotrin

FOR the second time this week, operations at State-owned Petrotrin were affected by protest action taken by workers. In the latest act of protest, workers downed tools yesterday and demonstrated outside the company’s Pointe-a-Pierre refinery.

The gathering, comprising over 300 workers, prevented gas trucks from entering the compound to be refilled with supplies for delivery to gas stations across the nation. The Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) and Petrotrin officials met on Thursday to continue discussions on outstanding bargaining issues.

But yesterday, the workers’ cries were against a breakdown in the negotiations. Shaffick Hyatalai, secretary/treasurer of the Pointe-a-Pierre branch of the OWTU, claimed the company’s negotiating team refused to budge from their offer on the issue of a general wage increase. Hyatali also claimed the company declined to increase its offer on shift and subsistence allowances. The category of workers includes electricians, pump attendants, mechanics and instruments and machine shop technicians. The negotiations will also cover hourly and weekly-paid employees of Trinmar.

Yesterday, workers at Petrotrin’s installations in Barrackpore, Penal, Santa Flora, Forest Reserve and Guayaguayare also downed tools to agitate for better salaries and work allowances. Efforts to reach members of Petrotrin’s negotiating team for a comment yesterday, proved futile.

Earlier this week, operations were halted when workers engaged in a similar protest action, which resulted in a meeting of the OWTU officials and Petrotrin on Thursday.