Unions, Caroni sign new collective agreement

HOT on the heels of signing a collective agreement for former daily paid workers with the All Trinidad Sugar and General Workers Trade Union (ATSGWTU) for 2002-2004, the defunct Caroni (1975) Limited has now reached settlement with two other trade unions. The former company last week signed collective agreements with the Sugar Boilers Association (SBA) and the Estate Police Association (EPA) for the period January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2004.

Both agreements grant former employees a five percent salary increase with workers receiving a four percent increase for 2002 and one percent for 2003. The enhancement will be paid to workers as one lumpsum and will not affect the calculation of payment already made under Caroni’s Voluntary Separation of Employment Programme (VSEP). However, workers will receive a five percent increase in the amounts paid to them via the VSEP package. These payments, as well as a new Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) of $45 per month effective January 1, 2002, will be made to workers on June 18, 2004. Parties have also agreed to withdraw all outstanding claims regarding items contained in the Memorandum of Understanding dated January 21, 2003.

The EPA has also acceded to drop outstanding matters with respect to hours of work at the Industrial Court of Trinidad and Tobago and job classification of workers at the Ministry of Labour. Signing both agreements on behalf of Caroni (1975) Ltd were chairperson Jerry Hospedales, corporate secretary Clarence Rambharat and industrial relations manager Deosaran Jagroo. Signatories for the EPA were president Andrew Dardaine, trustee Anthony Hall and branch board executives Dave Samsundar and Premnath Deediaram. SBA president-general Rakeeb Mohamed, secretary general/treasurer Bobby Samaroo, Ste Madeleine branch president Doodnath Mahabir and trustee Samuel Ramlal signed on behalf of their union.