Tuesday, December 4 2007

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TASSA PROTEST: Two TCL workers backed up their protests with tassa music at the company's Claxton Bay plant yesterday. ...

DELIVERIES of cement were affected during the morning period yesterday after workers at Trinidad Cement Limited’s (TCL) Claxton Bay plant downed tools citing unsafe health and safety conditions at the facility.

However, TCL corporate communications manager Allen Nobbie stated that the morning protest ended at midday with workers returning to their job and work resuming as normal. He added that a meeting between TCL management and the workers’ union was set for tomorrow.

At approximately 7 am, over 300 workers downed tools at the plant forcing trucks from several hardwares to remain idle at the plant’s loading area. The workers chanted and displayed placards during the protest.

When Newsday visited the plant, a number of trucks were seen leaving the facility without having received their supplies of cement while scores of workers bearing placards some of which read “We want safer working conditions” and “Complete negotiations now,” were standing in one of the car park areas.

TCL worker Gerwyn Edwards said their major concern was the lax health and safety conditions at the plant which he claimed included an infestation of rats and cockroaches at the mill house.

He claimed that due to the demand for increased supplies of cement, the dust level at certain areas of the facility were so high workers could not see each other. “There is so much dust that you cannot see workers when they are inside there (the mill house) and some workers, such as casual workers are not outfitted with radios, so if a worker is injured you wouldn’t know his location,” Edwards claimed.

He said workers were also upset at the delay in settling the collective bargaining negotiations which had expired almost a year and a half ago. He said the main sticking areas were the housing plan, a new medical plan and upgraded salary and pension plan. He said workers were prepared to stay off the job until a favourable agreement was reached with the company’s management which was locked in meetings with union representatives.

Nobbie said the protest came as a surprise to TCL since they were not informed beforehand of the impending strike. “They returned to work just after lunch so that things are back to normal,” Nobbie said.

He added that the company did not anticipate any further disruptions. He said the protest revolved around the 2006-2009 collective agreement reached between management and the workers’ union. He said some workers were not happy with the settlement reached during the collective bargaining process.