Protest halts work on cross-country pipeline

THIS country’s multi-billion dollar cross-country natural gas pipe-laying project suffered a setback yesterday when workers downed tools in protest, effectively shutting down operations. About 175 workers, including welders, drillers, crane-operators, fabricators, technicians, forklift drivers and labourers, refused to take up duties in protest of the dismissal of four welders. API Cross-Island Pipeline Ltd of Siparia Erin Road, Fyzabad, in conjunction with Bechtel, is currently laying a 56-inch pipeline from Point Galeota to the Atlantic LNG plant in Point Fortin. Yesterday, an Atlantic LNG official told Newsday the work stoppage posed a setback for Train IV of the LNG project. An official said if the strike action continued, international investors’ commitment to the Train IV project could be hampered.

Two employees were accused of abusive language, and two others were accused of failing to carry out instructions according to the dismissal letters issued on July 7 by API Cross Island Pipeline Ltd management. The dismissed workers are Roger Cadogan (welder/helper), Steve Ellis (welder), Indar Moodoo (welder) and Dion Mollineau (welder/helper). Some of the pipeline locations affected were in the districts of La Brea, Guapo, Woodland and in deep forested parts of the South-West peninsula. All day yesterday workers mingled outside the Bechtel compound on the Siparia Erin Road. While mobile and pipe-cutting machines lay idle, workers held dialogue among themselves which led to the formation of the Workers’ Representative Committee (WRC), since there is no union representing them. WRC representative, Wilfred Edwards, sent a letter to human resource manager Samuel yesterday, in which he sought a meeting to discuss the issue. Up to late yesterday, the workers were still unsure whether they will continue with their protest today.