Roget calls for Petrotrin’s chairman removal

JTUM leader Ancel Roget has called for the removal of Petrotrin chairman Wilfred Espinet saying he is placing the lives of Petrotrin workers in danger by peddling false information about their pay packets.

Speaking to reporters during a mobilisation exercise in San Fernando in preparation for September 7 day of rest and reflection, he said Espinet told a forum that workers at the state owned oil company received some $40,000 per month.

“What the chairman did, for yet another occasion is to put the lives of the Petrotrin worker at risk, make them a target on the basis of false information. When he talks about $40,000 a Petrotrin worker earns, he needs to say if that is a manager, or if that is a worker. That is simply not a worker.

No worker do not receive $40,000 per month at all.”

Roget said there is a “high level” of overtime due to unfilled vacancies at the refinery saying workers could not leave their shift unattended due to the manpower shortage as this would cause the refinery to grind to a halt.

“They cannot leave their shifts and as they do that they work on public holidays, premium rate, Saturday, Sunday, they work continuously and if those workers leave their job and refuse to work overtime, the refinery will shut down and the chairman is not saying that.”

Roget, who is also OWTU president general, said the union would be calling for Espinet’s removal as he did not understand the company’s operations and had been selected to helm the company based on his friendship with a high ranking government minister.