OWTU-Petrotrin talks unresolved

TALKS on Wednesday between Petrotrin and the Oilfields Workers Trade Union (OWTU) ended with no major resolution over the impasse involving protesting Petrotrin workers which fuelled a gas-shortage in South Trinidad this past week.

A marathon session of talks stretching over 14 hours between Wednesday and yesterday, ended in deadlock and have left officials on both sides uneasy as to how the protest issue would play out.

Following the meetings yesterday, workers at Pointe-a-Pierre were briefed about the situation.

OWTU (Petrotrin branch) secretary Shaffick Hyatali, told Newsday no substantial progress was made at the negotiating table regarding the new collective agreement (2006-8) or on increases in COLA and other allowances.

He noted however, that Petrotrin granted a minimal increase in funeral leave from four to five days. He said no compromise was reached on the union’s proposal of a 35 percent increase for wages and salaries. Petrotrin’s counter proposal is an eight percent increase.

“There has not been anything on the table in terms of allowances including travelling, meals, shift and subsistence. They did not even touch COLA and workers are saying they are not going to make any concessions unless the company offers something acceptable to them,” Hyatali said.

Operations at the oil company grounded to a halt when hundreds of disgruntled workers downed tools to protest the failure to resolve stalled wage negotiations. Workers from the petroleum bond, marine, maintenance, refinery, lab and medical departments refused to report for duty. Trinmar’s marine base and its exploration and production facilities at Santa Flora, Forest Reserve, Penal and Guayaguayare, were also shut down. Motorists crowded gas stations throughout the country which resulted in depleted stocks.

Hyatali said OWTU was still committed to conducting negotiations in “good faith” but he said workers were becoming nervous. Leading the union’s negotiation team is ag president general Ancil Roget. Petrotrin’s Industrial Relations manager Neil Derrick, is representing the company.