Protesting ISPAT workers claim dust affecting them

FOR a third day, workers employed by Caribbean Ispat Limited (CIL) engaged in a peaceful placard demonstration at the Point Lisas roundabout, Rivulet Road yesterday.

The demonstration was once again led by executive members of the Steel Workers Union (SWU), including General Secretary Wayne Roberts, who said that workers, while still dissatisfied with the Company’s refusal to discuss improvements to the pension plan, were now complaining about the “extraordinarily” high levels of dust pollution emanating from the steel plant. “Workers have started to complain about heavy dust concentrations from the ‘melt shop’,” he said, adding that the term “melt shop” was commonly used by workers to describe operations at the steel plant. Roberts also noted that the Union had been reliably informed that several facilities downwind of the steel plant had also begun to complain about the increased dust pollution. He said that the matter would be brought up at next Thursday’s meeting of the Union’s general council.

However, Roberts noted that management officials were still “refusing” to meet with union officials to discuss the workers’ main grievance — improvements in the Company’s pension plan. “Since the demonstrations started, no one from Ispat’s management have contacted the Union to discuss the matter,” he said. Roberts added that “stronger measures,” including a “work-to-rule”, were also being considered if the Company’s management failed to meet with the Union. However, in a media release yesterday, CIL noted that on July 5, 2002, “it successfully completed negotiations for improved Pension Benefits with the Steel Workers’ Union of Trinidad and Tobago.” The release also stated that among the items agreed to by both parties, was full pension for workers after 30 years pensionable service, an increased accural rate of 2.22 percent and an increase of the commutation factor to $13.50. “In this regard, CIL wishes to further advise that the above mentioned improvements came about in the wider context of Collective Bargaining negotiations for the period November 1, 2001 to October 31, 2004,” CIL stated. The Company stated that both parties had again met on June 25, to discuss further improvements to the pension plan.