Agreement reached on Caroni VSEP package

CARONI (1975) Limited and the All Trinidad Sugar and General Workers Trade Union have reached an agreement in principle on the Voluntary Separation of Employment Plan (VSEP).

But none of the parties was prepared yesterday to reveal the contents of the agreement until they report to the Industrial Court at 2 pm today. When the matter was called at 1.50 pm in the Industrial Court yesterday, Douglas Mendes, representing the union, informed the court that the parties had arrived at an agreement in principle hours earlier relating to the main issues in the dispute. Although an agreement was reached, time did not permit for the matters to be put into writing. Mendes asked for two weeks to finalise the agreement. But Allan Alexander SC, representing the company, asked for half an hour to present the terms of the agreement to the court. But this was not convenient to the court.  Gladys Gafoor, Vice-President of the Industrial Court, said she had a 2 pm appointment and could not accommodate the agreement at that time. Alexander still wanted the matter to be dealt with yesterday, asking for a later time for the agreement to be placed before the court.

While the Court members were prepared to sit later to receive the agreement, the vice-president pointed out that the support staff would not be available.  She suggested that the parties return to court today. Initially, Alexander said it was not convenient, but later he agreed for the matter to be heard at 2 pm today. The matter was called before Court members Gafoor, Lloyd Elcock, Ramchand Lutchmedial, Judy Rajkumar-Gualbance, and Augustus Ramrekersingh. Appearing with Mendes were Dave Cowie and Ashvani Mahabir, while Alexander was lead attorney over Reginald Armour and Kerwyn Garcia. On June 27, the Industrial Court adjourned the matter to yesterday for Caroni and the union to formally meet and discuss in detail, the VSEP offer, having regard to its implications to the workers with a view to resolving the terms and conditions. The parties were expected to report their findings to the court yesterday. After the hearing, Rudy Indarsingh, President General of the union, did not reveal the contents of the agreement to the media. He said that until the parties report to the court, he would prefer that the contents remain in the hands of the union and its lawyers.

But Indarsingh said the union has to protect its members in terms of what will be issued in the new letters of offer of the VSEP package.  “There seems to be a sticking point between the union and the company. But I am hopeful that the sticking points will be resolved,” the union president added. Indarsingh said the union and the company met over the last six days in an effort to reach an agreement. The union had filed a complaint with the Industrial Court on several issues. The union complained among other things that Caroni failed to treat and enter into negotiations with the union on the controversial VSEP issue. Cabinet decided on December 19, 2002 to reduce the manpower levels of Caroni through the offer to all employees of a VSEP package. Caroni offered VSEP to 8,116 employees at a cost of $637 million. The Industrial Court, on March 28, granted an injunction restraining Caroni from implementing its VSEP. The injunction will continue.