OWTU to Petrotrin: Pay profit-sharing now
PORT SPAIN
Trinidad & Tobago Express
Petroleumworldtt.com
06 22 09
The Oilfields Workers' Trade Union has warned State-owned Petrotrin it could face industrial action if the oil company fails to make payments to the profit-sharing plan within the next week.
Speaking at a press conference at the OWTU headquarters, San Fernando yesterday, president of the OWTU Ancel Roget said that the amount of money due to the workers was still outstanding although the agreement stated that payment was due "no later than the second quarter after each financial year".
Roget said the company was supposed to make the payment last month but the company failed to meet its obligation under the existing agreement.
He said: "We wrote the company last week and we are expected to meet on the issue this week to give the company its final warning."
Roget could not confirm the amount due to employees across the board, but the Express learnt that the amount due to each employee was in the vicinity of $60,000.
He said the arrangement was for the amount to be paid in full but the company had asked for it to be paid in three tranches.
The Express learnt that payment cannot be made until the all-clear is given by an audit firm.
"We have no details regarding the date the amounts will be paid," said a senior official of the company yesterday.
The profit-sharing bonus is one of the benefits secured by the OWTU and it forms part of the current industrial agreement.
Speaking about Labour Day celebrations at Fyzabad, David Abdulah, president of FITUN, said this year's theme is "Time to Rescue Trinidad and Tobago".
He said FITUN will be building a movement to address the crisis in the country. "It will not be a political party and neither will we be supporting any political party."
Abdulah said FITUN with its five-member trade unions will not be a part of NATUC's team.
Abdulah denied accusations by the Public Services Association of "poaching" at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex at Mt Hope. He said the issue was one of quality representation.
"We have members at Mt Hope in the same establishment and under the Industrial Relations Act a union cannot represent more than one set of workers in an essential industry, so there can be no question of poaching since we already represent the T&TEC workers," Abdulah said.
Story by Louis B Homer, South Bureau from Trinidad & Tobago
Express
Trinidad & Tobago Express
Wednesday, June 17th 2009
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