Roget declares justice served, Industrial Court grants OWTU injunction

PRESIDENT General of the Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU) Ancel Roget yesterday declared victory over state-owned oil company Petrotrin. He did so after a ruling by President of the Industrial Court Deborah Thomas-Felix who granted the union its injunction against the company, restricting the further termination of employees and even the issuance of voluntary separation letters. The injunction will remain in effect until the issue of the closure of Petrotrin is fully ventilated in the court or if the company successfully appeals the decision.

Last Tuesday, Roget along with attorney Douglas Mendes, SC, representing the OWTU, filed the injunction after he alleged that Petrotrin violated the collective bargaining agreement by refusing to hold discussions with the union.

Speaking with reporters outside the Industrial Court on lower St Vincent Street, Port of Spain yesterday, Roget said he was satisfied with the court's ruling and described it as "pure justice".

He also accused Petrotrin of using "scare tactics" as it attempted to defend its decision to close the refinery by describing it's position as insolvent, and said he was pleased with Thomas-Felix's decision to dismiss Petrotrin’s attorney Senior Counsel Reginald Armour's application to stay the ruling.

"The court would have granted injunctive relief to protect the workers simply because the board of the company, supported by the Cabinet, was simply breaking the law. The company has been ordered to stay its hand. The board has no regard for justice, fair-play or the law.

"Petrotrin ought not to go ahead and hand out termination letters, it is clear contempt and we have not heard the Minister of Labour, and she ought to be the first one to come out and urge the company to hold its hand. There can be absolutely no justification for breaking the law."

Roget also said the application to stay or delay the ruling was an attempt by the company to continue to dismiss workers, and called on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Energy Minister Franklin Khan to reveal the experts who advised them to close Petrotrin.

"Who are these experts? What is the precise advice that they would have gotten? That has not happened because these experts do not exist. There is no expert that advised them, it is the arrogance of one man, Keith Christopher Rowley."

Roget said he was convinced that the ruling by the Industrial Court was further evidence that Petrotrin can be made into a viable, productive entity once the necessary restructuring is done.

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