OWTU and Petrotrin talks break down

In a telephone interview yesterday, Roget said the Industrial Court judge, at the last conciliation session last week, had indicated that case management discussions would take place in preparation for open court.

Case management pertains to the directions which would be applied to both parties prior to a full hearing of the case by the Court.

However, Roget said there is still “an opportunity for conciliation and conclusion of negotiations meaning it’s not over until it’s over should the company present an improved position.” Meanwhile, in a media release, Petrotrin confirmed that both the parties will continue their meetings at the court today prior to the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on January 9, 2017.

“While parties are still in discussion, Petrotrin reiterates its commitment to participating fully in this process and to engaging with employees and their representatives.

We continue to strive for a solution that is in the best interest of all employees and that ensures the viability, survivability and sustainability of Petrotrin,” the company stated.

However, Roget recalled that the company had offered a one percent increase for the final year of the negotiating period 2011-2014 and which would have been implemented in 2019. “The union position is that we responded to their offer of the one percent by rejecting it because that additional one percent is to be implemented in 2019,” he said.

“At the same time you have a negotiations period before the court now for 2014-2017, it have two negotiations period before the court, 2011-2014 for which we are still waiting and 2014- 2017 before the court- that is the one we served strike notice on and so for the final year of 2011-2014, the company is saying that it should be implemented in the year 2019,” Roget said.

“Now obviously that could not have cut it with the union,” he said, and noted that both parties had examined Petrotrin’s operational aspects to determine where its production levels could be increased and had determined that an increase of 2,500 barrels could be achieved over time.

“Already through that initiative we have begun to see 1,050 barrels additional and as time goes on, we would reach the sustain increased production of 2,500,” he said, adding that inefficiencies had also been examined to save the company some $200 million in wastages.

He said the Minister of Finance was behind the one percent offer and called for his removal as both Finance Minister and acting Energy Minister