PM, OWTU meeting not promising

OWTU President General Ancel Roget 
PHOTO BY ANIL RAMPERSAD.
OWTU President General Ancel Roget PHOTO BY ANIL RAMPERSAD.

It was a three-hour meeting between Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Oilfields’ Workers Trade Union (OWTU) president Ancel Roget to address burning issues outstanding after the closure of Petrotrin and over 2,000 workers sent home, but not much was resolved.

Roget, with chief education and research officer Ozzy Warwick and general secretary Mitchell Lee met yesterday with Rowley at the Office of the PM, St Clair.

Energy Minister Franklin Khan, National Security Minister Stuart Young, Minister in the Office of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Fitzgerald Hinds, Minister in the Ministry of Finance Alyson West and Permanent Secretary to the PM Maurice Suite also attended the meeting.

Roget said some of the issues addressed were the undignified way Petrotrin workers were treated by being asked to put their income tax returns in a box, which he said spoke to a kind of contempt of Petrotrin workers.

The union also addressed the issues of casual and temporary workers not receiving any severance pay, the medical plan for retirees and how they were treated, and the pension plan and how it was being managed post termination of all workers.

“The insignificance of what is described as a medical plan as compared to what the workers had, retirees having to line up in the sun and rain to sign up for a medical plan arrangement, that is almost less than basic in its nature.

“We got no guarantee on any of those issues this afternoon except mention was made for casual and temporary workers that they will receive their backpay, which they already worked for, sometime mid January.

“This is supposed to be tax free.”

Roget also said that the union has not given up in its bid to purchase the refinery having formed two companies -- to provide services in the exploration and production area of the former Petrotrin asset, and one to purchase and operate the refinery.

A release from the OPM said if the union was able to “to present and commit to the rigours of an acceptable business proposal, then the Government will treat it with the dignity and respect it deserves.”

Rowley said he was looking forward to the union’s proposal, adding that the company intended to issue a Request for Proposals soon.

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"PM, OWTU meeting not promising"

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