Workers reject OAS offer

Responding to a question in the Senate on Tuesday, Baptiste- Primus said OAS submitted a notice for the termination of 879 employees due to reasons of redundancy, attributed to the cessation of work on the Solomon Hochoy Highway Extension Project.

She said in its letter, OAS said severance benefits owed to each worker would be paid within 30 days of termination of service, on or before May 30. Baptiste-Primus said she met with OAS and the Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU) which is representing the workers on June 22.

The minister said at that meeting, the union rejected an offer from OAS to sell its vehicles and equipment to the union, “as compensation for severance and other outstanding monies.” She indicated that at a another meeting on July 1, the union again rejected this offer.

Baptiste-Primus said the matter is currently before the Industrial Court and outside of her ministry’s remit. However Baptiste-Primus said the ministry will continue to monitor this matter. Providing an update on stakeholder consultations on various pieces of legislation, Baptiste-Primus said amendments to the Retrenchment Severance Benefits Act and the Industrial Relations Act would be coming to Parliament next year.

Earlier in the sitting, Social Development Minister Cherrie- Ann Crichlow Cockburn indicated that national consultations on a draft revised policy for persons with disabilities will be held soon. She also said the ministry has spent $1 million to ensure that its offices are accessible to disabled persons.

The minister said the new Mayaro public library will have elevators which can be accessed by visually impaired persons. Crichlow Cockburn said while TT will not be able to meet all its targets regarding compliance with the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, it will be able to present a working plan to achieve those objectives.