Govt throwing LNG workers to the wolves

THE EDITOR: It cannot be denied that the best means of arriving at fair and equitable pay rates for workers is by negotiation between employer and trade union. But what does a worker do when there is no recognised trade union in an industry? Even worse when that employer is a huge multinational whose operations rival those of the largest enterprises in the country. Worse yet when that employer is in the country for a limited time and is due to pack up and leave in 18 months at the end of the contract period.

Even the Industrial Court, which is viewed by workers as an instrument of private enterprise, was forced to impose conditions on the release money to Carlisle Tyre Company, to ensure that they do not leave without meeting their obligations to workers. The government’s refusal to intervene in the Atlantic LNG dispute is tantamount to throwing the workers to the wolves. Of course Mr Cape is pleased at the Government’s inaction — it leaves the workers at the company’s mercy. Measuring the workers’ actions by the losses to the economy is a joke — millions, no billions, are wasted on more frivolous pursuits. In any event, that only becomes important when it is workers’ actions that might cause those losses. When crime was high on the national agenda, business interests claimed it would affect investor confidence. Now workers’ rights are high on the agenda and the issue is once again investor confidence. The truth is that investor confidence is based not on these concerns but on the returns investors can make on their investment.

Venezuela, Nigeria, Colombia and so many other countries are testimony to this. Sectoral wages are a reality of economic life. Caroni workers accepted that they could not be paid the same wages for doing the same work as their peers just down the road in the oil industry. There were operators and welders and riggers and maintenance personnel in both industries but oil workers were paid three and four times the wages of sugar workers with no inflationary spiral. But apparently inflation is only important if it might be caused by workers’ actions. Inflation as a result of increases in the cost of gasoline (which increases the price of everything else), flour, chicken, cement, steel and everything else which benefits business interests is acceptable. The hypocrisy of the business class is shameful, but there is no shame where money is to be made. People like ECA, the Chambers and all other business groups have leapt to the attack on the workers. Workers and their organisations must stand in defence of workers’ rights.

KARAN MAHABIRSINGH
Carapichaima