Thompson’s union takes up his case

Fired worker representative at the Atlantic LNG Train IV project, Earnest Thompson, has sought the intervention of the Construction and Industrial Workers Trade Union, (CIWTU), in his dismissal on August 25 by a sub-contractor at the plant. In an interview yesterday, Thompson said the newly-formed union, in a letter to Labour Minister, Anthony Roberts,  was seeking the minister’s intervention “in bringing this trade dispute to an amicable conclusion.

“This dispute emanates over the dismissal and or refusal to employ Earnest Thompson, a rigger previously employed by Ashana Contracting Ltd, a sub-contractor of Bechtel International at the Atlantic LNG Train IV, Point Fortin,” the letter stated. The letter noted that “meetings with Ashana Contracting and Bechtel International had failed to resolve the dispute.” He said a copy of the grievance was also forwarded to both Ashana Contracting and the project’s main contractor, Bechtel International.  Thompson said the reasons given for his dismissal were both “contemptuous and misleading” and vowed to continue his fight against the contracting company.