Petrotrin
plants down
By
Phoolo
Danny-Maharaj
South Bureau
Trinidad
Express
Port
Spain
Petroleumworld.com
09 10 06
THERE has been zero production at Petrotrin for
the last 48 hours because of the shutdown of several
plants, and the company's losses could swell to
more than $150 million, union officials said yesterday.
But while admitting to no production
for the past two days, a company official could
not provide figures on any possible losses.
Errol McLeod, president general
of the Oilfields Workers' Trade Union, which represents
some 5,000 of the State-owned oil company's workers,
yesterday told reporters a number of Petrotrin's
plants were down.
These included the number 2 Catalytic
Reforming Unit (CRU), number 8 Crude Distillation
Unit (CDU), number 4 Vacuum Distillation Unit (VDU)
and the FCCU, also known as the cat-cracker.
The company official said there
was zero production because employees were not working
due to the failure by the company and the union
to reach agreement on a new three-year industrial
agreement. The matter has been referred to the Labour
Ministry. The union wants a 32 per cent pay rise.The
company is not budging from its ten per cent offer.
McLeod said the situation worsened
when the company acted contrary to the collective
agreement by forcing a shift system on workers without
discussions with the union. The workers were expected
to work two different shifts to conduct tests and
inspections on two plants, but they refused.
He said the union was prepared to
cooperate with the company to ensure the highest
integrity of plant and equipment, but the company
had to demonstrate goodwill by attempting to resolve
the negotiations.
Trinidad Express
Saturday, September 9th 200
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