‘Petrotrin
ready for OWTU strike’
By
Radhica Sookraj
Trinidad
Guardian
Petroleumworld.com
06 18 06‘Petrotrin ready for OWTU strike’
OWTU’s
President General Errol Mc Leod has said that Petrotrin
is declaring war on his union and have already begun
collecting strike materials in preparation of large
scale industrial action.
Speaking
to reporters during a press conference at OWTU’s
Paramount Headquarters at San Fernando yesterday,
Mc Leod said training centres, schools and private
bungalows are being equipped to accommodate scab
labour.
“The
management of Petrotrin led by Chairman Malcolm
Jones is preparing for war with us. Indeed they
are spending enormous sums of money in procuring
strike materials. They have bought beds, linen and
are stock piling food, in the hope that if we take
strike action they will be able to leave some scabs
in there to run operations,” Mc Leod said.
He
said during the last strike, rumours circled that
Petrotrin was planning to shut down the refinery
and call in the army to operate fuel distribution
at the Point-a-Pierre bond.
“We
heard that rumour but we think it was one of the
threats made by people who are unfamiliar with real
warfare,” Mc Leod said.
He
noted that Petrotrin had already lost millions of
dollars after two days of strike action by the union
last week. He said the OWTU will not back down from
the challenge of war but would only do so as a very
last resort.
He
said 25 bilateral meetings had already been held
and the OWTU has lowered its initial 35 per cent
wage demand to 32 per cent.
Petrotrin’s
Corporate Communications Manager Arnold Corneal,
could not be reached for comment.
Trinidad
Guardian
Wednesday
14th June, 2006
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©2006 Trinidad Guardian. All Rights Reserved.
