Union optimistic of stopping Caroni restructuring

THE All Trinidad Sugar and General Workers Trade Union (ATSGWTU) is confident it will obtain an injunction from the Industrial Court that will bring Government’s plans to restructure Caroni (1975) Limited to a halt.

This was the optimism expressed by ATSGWTU President-General Rudranath Indarsingh after the union’s attorneys and Caroni’s attorneys met on Thursday with President of the Industrial Court, Justice Addison Khan. Speaking with reporters outside the Industrial Court, Indarsingh said: “In the circumstances, before the company can go ahead and implement its VSEP, we are also seeking injunctive relief through the courts. The President has fixed that March 28 will be the date to determine whether the injunction will be granted. The substantive matter will be heard on May 7.”

The ATSGWTU leader added that the application for an injunction was filed pursuant to Section 84 of the Industrial Relations Act Chapter 88.01 for Orders. “The company has unfolded a VSEP without meeting and treating with the union and has failed to divulge the true contents of its restructuring plan for the benefit of clarification for all the daily-rated employees of Caroni,” he declared. Asked if the company could continue to offer VSEP to Caroni workers if the injunction is granted, Indarsingh replied: “Well they can continue to ask people. Once the injunction is granted it becomes a null and void.” He also recalled that when workers at Caroni’s Usine Ste Madeleine factory downed tools, they were told workers who did not accept VSEP by the April 3 deadline would not be guaranteed continued employment at Caroni.  The ATSGWTU leader added that workers who signed VSEP under duress are “now free to withdraw letters that they signed”.

Indarsingh declared that the ATSGWTU had not been delinquent in protecting the workers’ interests. “The union had the power to stop the actual letters from going out. We wanted our workers to have first hand information. We did not want to act in a high-handed manner. The union did not delay,” he said. The ATSGWTU was represented by attorneys Douglas Mendes, Dave Cowie and Ashvani Mahabir, while Caroni was represented by attorneys Kerwin Garcia and Ria Ramdeen. On March 25, an application filed by attorney Derek Ali regarding the company’s pension fund will be heard in the High Court.