Angostura expands its markets and staff

SHAKE ON IT: SWWTU president general Michael Annisette, left, shakes hands with Ag CEO of Angostura Ian Forbes yesterday at the House of Angostura in Laventille. PHOTO BY VIDYA THURAB
SHAKE ON IT: SWWTU president general Michael Annisette, left, shakes hands with Ag CEO of Angostura Ian Forbes yesterday at the House of Angostura in Laventille. PHOTO BY VIDYA THURAB

ANGOSTURA Limited has expanded its staff intake to include a total of 54 permanent people to accommodate its new shift system and expansion. A new industrial relations agreement between Angostura and its workers’ union Seamen & Waterfront Workers’ Trade Union (SWWTU), was successfully negotiated to bring on board a two-shift system, rather than one.

At a media briefing held in Angostura’s oak room yesterday, a memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed by the company’s acting CEO Ian Forbes, Executive Manager of Corporate Services Rahim Mohammed and SWWTU president general Michael Annisette.

Forbes said, the company has undertaken several new markets in which additional staff is required for adequate production and efficiency.

“The two-shift system will be utilised on its main operation line and maintenance organisation.

The hired people are locals and their jobs are permanent.

Angostura has been in existence for 195 years and continues to expand its global markets. Recently the Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia (EMEAA) region were tapped into. Currently discussions are underway to open the Nigerian market to greater extent. “Future growth in our business could only come from expansion into new markets beyond our local economic space.

The opportunities within our domestic market are finite and limited.” Forbes said. Angostura Holdings Ltd and the SWWTU agreed that the intake of 20 people last year and the recent 34, will be beneficial to the company and only a small percentage is used on administrative expenses.

Forbes said, “The administrative expenses are negligible, may be one per cent or less of our admin expenses. But the value it brings is about 80 to 90 times the cost of implementing the staff. The return is very significant.” Pleased with the negotiations, Annisette said, the agreement takes into consideration the current economic climate.

“Angostura did not say like some other companies in TT, this is too costly an exercise, it would be cheaper to outsource.

The focus of the company’s existence and survival and by extension whatever the company makes, out of that, workers will benefit in a meaningful way.”

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