Wednesday, March 26 2008

OVER one hundred temporary workers staged an early morning protest at Petrotrin’s labour recruitment offices in Pointe-a-Pierre yesterday.

The workers are protesting plans to engage the services of a labour supply contractor who would then provide workers to perform tasks normally carried out by some of the protesting temporary workers, some of whom have been employed with Petrotrin for over 30 years.

According to Oilfields Workers Trade Union (OWTU) Petrotrin branch secretary, Shaffick Hyatali, the workers, whom he described as “long standing temporary workers” include pump mechanics, electricians, plant fitters and maintenance workers. “The company is bent on taking labour supply contract workers and putting these workers at risk, and now they are being put on the breadline and we are displeased about that and the workers are also displeased, and the workers are not getting the ex-gratis payments that are due to them,” he said.

He said the union was seeking a meeting with Petrotrin’s management to discuss the issue, adding the workers intended to step up protest action if the company failed to meet on the issue.

Petrotrin’s corporate communications manager Arnold Corneal was yesterday unavailable for comment as he was reportedly in a meetings.