Heavy police presence as offshore workers protest

WITH heightened tension after the announcement of the impending closure of Petrotrin’s refinery, heavily armed police from the Guard and Emergency department positioned themselves outside Lennox Petroleum Services in San Fernando yesterday. This happened as members of the Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU), and the company’s employees, protested inside for retroactive payment.

OWTU’s chief labour relations officer Lyndon Mendoza, commended the behaviour of the police – one of whom, he said, acted as an emissary when the CEO Wayne Persad, declined to meet or speak with the workers.

But Mendoza felt the large contingent of about two dozen police who arrived at the Princess Margaret Street office in about seven different types of vehicles, was a waste of state assets, and whoever alarmed them into responding in that way should be charged for wasting police time.

Mendoza said the union and the company signed off on two agreements for workers for January 1, 2015 to the present, and these agreements were executed since March 5 this year. He said, to date the company had not paid for work already done, and refused to honour the payment, which amounts to approximately $30 million for 250-plus workers. He said the company has advanced no satisfactory reason for withholding the money.

He accompanied some of the workers to deliver a letter to Persad from the union's president general Ancel Roget, which said the company’s action was unfair and totally unreasonable.

Around 2 pm, workers positioned themselves inside the company's premises, where they prayed and sang union songs as company officials refused to meet with them

When the police arrived, they met Mendoza, who communicated the union's position. One of the officers acted as a messenger, delivering the letter and speaking with the CEO. He later told Mendoza that Persad, acting on the advice of his attorney, had decided not to make the payment.

“The officer told us that Mr Persad indicated if we want the money we would have to take him to court. He also indicated that Mr Persad wanted us out of the compound.

"We left, but we intend to continue our action until the money is paid, " Mendoza said.

Attorneys for the company told Newsday a response will be forthcoming today.