Duke: Have no fear in showing solidarity

Trade union leaders in Tobago are calling on workers stay away from work on Friday in a ‘day of reflection’ and show solidarity with Petrotrin workers who would face the breadline with the impending closure of the state-owned oil company’s Pointe-a-Pierre oil refinery.

And President of the Public Services Association, Watson Duke, is advising all monthly and daily paid workers to have no fear in engaging in a day of reflection

“Take a day off on Friday, let no one scare you. The entire trade union movement is standing solidly behind workers. We will be focusing on all concerns faced by all workers, not only at Petrotrin, with the government soliciting our monies and destroying workers in this country. This war will be a long one.”

He said the union leaders in Trinidad would visit Tobago as part of the “battle.”

“I know eventually Tobagonians will take heed because Tobago generally take a longer time considering things than responding but Tobagonians need to remember they have their own issues. The labour movement will be coming to mobilise Tobagonians, when the time is right,” Duke said.

Orlando Kerr, Tobago Officer of TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) told Newsday Tobago even though the day of reflection was linked the oil refinery intended closure, teachers will be using the day to consider their frustration and disgust on several issues affecting them.

Kerr said a “rest and reflect” day by TTUTA was in the works, and the call by the OTWU was timely.

“…the decision to rest and reflect was taken long before the announcement by OWTU) was made. As a matter of fact, TTUTA at its general meeting decided it will support this action because we are out of the negotiating period and no negotiations have been started by the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO). Our last negotiating period was 2014 to 2017, we are in 2018 and still no instruction has been given to the CPO to start negotiations.

“We as an association felt it is a good opportunity to show the government we are not going to be tolerating that kind of behaviour,” he said.

Kerr also noted other concerns including policies imposed by the Ministry of Education for the marking of School Based Assessments (SBAs), inhumane working conditions at several schools affecting both teachers and students, non-payment of incremental arrears and other allowances and the appointment and upgrade of teachers in abeyance for over a decade now.

Kenneth Thomas, negotiator with the National Union of Government and Federation (NUGFW), also called on members to stand with OWTU and Petrotrin workers on Friday.

Thomas told Newsday Tobago that union leaders must do what is necessary despite possible repercussions.

“We are standing with all our brothers and sisters in Petrotrin and are calling on all daily paid workers in Tobago to stand in solidarity on September 7. Tobago is a society of itself, but we must stand with the labour struggle along with our President General of NUGFW James Lambert,” he said.

Thomas said he was concerned about the repercussions but “what has to be done will be done…all of us are seeking the best interests of the country. When Christ went to the cross it was a painful thing, we must do what is necessary.”

Horace Amede, President of the Truckers and Traders Association, told Newsday Tobago that members are in strong supporting the ‘one-day shutdown.’ Amede, at a meeting in March this year, had called on Tobago’s business community to be “bold and brave” and stand together to protest problems with cargo transport on the sea bridge by engaging in a two-day rest and reflect protest.

Though the call garnered support from businessmen gathered at the Rovanels Resort for the meeting, they eventually backed out and the attempt to mount a protest fizzled out.

On Monday, Amede said, “this day of rest and reflect will do no further harm to the island because Tobago has already been shut down since the people cannot move freely, businesses continue to see hardship…

“I think everyone in the country is concerned about what is happening with Petrotrin because if we stop refining crude oil and we have to buy, the price will go through the roof and once prices start to increase, everything will increase.

“I think the government should have at least look at other methods to keep the refinery running, even if it meant reducing salaries. Something needs to be done to get this sorted out for proper management and accountability,” he said.