‘Back Off’

But the Oilfields Workers Trade Union (OWTU) in reiterating yesterday that strike notice would be served on the company if by Tuesday the zero-zero- zero offer to over 4,450 workers is not resolved, warned the public should brace for a gas shortage.

The refinery produces crude to manufacture gasoline, diesel, kerosene and jet fuel and the OWTU’s president Ancel Roget was even more militant yesterday in his condemnation of those who were opposed to oil workers’ due. Roget, insisting the OWTU’s demand of a ten-percent for the 2014-2017 negotiating period is very reasonable, said, “I have absolutely no regard for the hypocrisy that can be identified by the Chamber and business groupings. They better back-off and leave Roget and the OWTU alone.” Roget explained that whatever reasonable offer Petrotrin is willing to give for the 2011-2014 negotiating period for the workers, OWTU would consider.

Thursday’s tripartite talks between officials of the union, Petrotrin, and the Ministry of Labour, broke down, with the company maintaining its zero-zero-zero offer for the 2014-17 period. Roget maintained yesterday that the conciliatory period for negotiations ends on Tuesday and the union’s next step is to take strike action, saying that Thursday’s talks were the third round of negotiations.

Petrotrin workers have not gotten a wage adjustment in over six years, Roget said, “so therefore it is unfair for those who provide a service from which everybody else benefit, to risk their lives and limbs”.

Oil workers were being targeted, he added, whilst businessmen are increasing their prices, what with Neal and Massy declaring a profit of $450 million.

Roget explained the breakdown of talks at the ministry, represented negotiations for the second period of 2014-17 for which strike is looming. For that first period (2014- 17), he reiterated, the OWTU is willing to accept ten percent, notwithstanding that workers in other sectors got 14 percent.

Yesterday, president of the Petroleum Dealers’ Association, Robindranath Naraynsingh, said he would rather not think about the negative fallout of a strike for the new year, saying, “We are deeply concerned about the implications of this possible action.

We hope that the matter is resolved and it would not go on to have a shutdown, but let us not start to get into the ‘what if they strike for 90 days’. I do not have any contingency plans, because I am very hopeful that this will not escalate to imperil all of us.” Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce president Richie Sookhai stated in a release, that 2017 is not a time for the country to experience any kind of energy shortages, especially vehicular fuels.

He stated, “Small and medium enterprises are already barely surviving owing to the rising cost of doing business, and such, potential strike action will further exacerbate the present situation.

This could lead to business closures and the imminent displacement of workers.” But Roget did not mince words for the business community, accusing them of double-standards in how workers are to be treated. The union leader said, “I have absolutely no regard for the hypocrisy that can be clearly identified with the chambers and these various business groupings in that I did not hear them come out in condemnation of the corruption at Petrotrin, I did not hear them comment or condemn all of the excessive salaries even, to executive presidents, vice presidents, top level personnel in the company (Petrotrin).

I did not hear them come out in condemnation when you had persons being placed in top positions of the company even though those persons could not have done the job.” OWTU’s education officer Ozzy Warrick, however, offered optimistic words yesterday, saying that if the union gets a call for a meeting with the government, “then maybe we would have something to tell the nation”. He added, “There is nothing more to say; there is absolutely nothing more to say.”