Petrotrin workers in early morning protest

APPROXIMATELY 700 Petrotrin workers downed tools and assembled outside the Pointe-a-Pierre offices of State-owned oil company early yesterday morning to protest for better working conditions and against rumours of a pending joint venture partnership. Speaking to Newsday, Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) representative Shaffick Hyatali said workers were faced with “maximum disrespect” from the oil company’s management. He said three weeks ago the company’s executive and the union held a meeting when it  was agreed that the company submit letters to individual workers offering job upgrades. However, up to yesterday, Hyatali said, this had not been done. He also revealed that reports of Petrotrin looking for a joint venture partner to operate the refinery had caused much concern among workers, who oppose any such plan.

“We are saying it should not happen. There should be no joint venture. No to the selling out of the refinery,” an angry Hyatali said. He added that workers from Point Fortin joined the protest, claiming workers were told the refinery was sold. “The company must meet with the union’s executive to have discussions surrounding the joint venture partnership matter,” he added. “I was told that the Point Fortin workers were asked to relocate to Pointe-a-Pierre, Santa Flora and other fields, but we are saying ‘No.’ The functions at Point Fortin must continue and its workers must not be relocated.” Another major bone of contention, Hyatali said, was the failure of the company to begin discussions on improvements to employees’ medical plan. “We have a written agreement dated December 17 2003 to start these discussions, but up to today the company has not convened a meeting. And we are wondering what is happening, how long is it going to take again for some light to be shed on this issue.”

He also expressed disgust at the company’s failure to fill over 200 vacant positions in both the Engineering and Maintenance Departments, an issue which was brought to the company’s attention months ago. “The company had asked that the union submit names and positions where vacancies existed in the two departments. This was done a couple of months ago, and up to now not a single position was filled.” Addressing the workers who assembled outside the company’s administration building was OWTU second vice-president Errol K Mc Leod, who said he was seeking meetings with company executives and urged workers to return to work. He promised they would be informed as to the outcome of these meetings. Mc Leod also said he was expecting a meeting to be held later in the day, and was optimistic that there would be a positive outcome. Efforts by Newsday to reach Petrotrin officials for comment concerning yesterday’s early morning protest, proved futile.