Trinidad oil workers stay off the job for second day
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| Published on Thursday, May 8, 2008 |
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By Linda Hutchinson-Jafar
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (Reuters): Workers at Trinidad and Tobago's state-owned oil company, Petrotrin, stayed off the job for a second day on Wednesday to protest grievances that included health and safety issues and fears of job cuts.
Ancil Roget, first vice president of the Oilfield Workers Trade Union that represents the workers, said employees were frustrated that Petrotrin management failed to follow through on promises to address outstanding issues, some dating back four years.
"If workers are protesting, certainly they cannot be on the job," Roget told Reuters when asked whether production was taking place at the oil company.
Calls to Petrotrin's communication department were not answered.
Roget said the 6,000 Petrotrin permanent and contract workers walked off the job on Tuesday, charging that the company was ignoring health and safety issues that had prompted earlier work stoppages.
Workers also fear a labour force reduction because of Petrotrin's plans to lease and sell certain exploration acreages.
"There's a lot that Petrotrin isn't dealing with and the workers are prepared to sit down and wait until they have some confidence that management will act on the issues," he said. | | | | Reads : 418 | | | |
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