Unilever retrenchment confirmed

Some 178 workers will be on the breadline when Unilever Caribbean Ltd (UCL) starts its retrenchment process on January 17, next year.

The company issued a media release yesterday announcing its plans to lay-off the workers as it restructures its operations in TT.

The release did not say how many staff members would be laid off.

The Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) branch president Neil McEachnie, said the union represents about 286 people, of which 178 will be sent home next year, as the company shuts`` down its manufacturing services.

He said the workers were called to a meeting on Tuesday and given details to return to work yesterday at specified times.

Those workers, he added were on yesterday given letters of their retrenchment and packages containing termination benefits, pensions and other related information.

McEachnie said there have been discrepancies with the retrenchment process and the union disagrees with and rejects the decision taken by the company.

He added they will be taking the necessary actions in accordance with the law to have the matter dealt with.

He said, “We have identified certain categories and job positions that continue to exist within the organisation, that does not satisfy the criteria as identified in the act for which a person ought to be legitimately retrenched.

“Where those situations occur, we will take the necessary action as provided by the law.

“We are confident that the court will make the right decision to give the workers redress with regard to this situation.”

McEachnie noted that discussions with UCL revealed they planned to completely exit manufacturing sector in TT.

He said, “By June 2022 the entire manufacturing arm would cease, and the remaining people would be retrenched then.”

UCL said however, the board, after “exhaustive” analyses and a number of “improvement initiatives” over two years, had not yielded results that would keep the company viable.

It added that there had been discussions with the OWTU to reach a mutually agreeable outcome in the interest of all concerned and noted that there are plans to sharpen its core business to ensure long-term sustainability of its operations here and the region.

Earlier this year the workers protested in front of Unilever when they found out that the company was seeking to send home workers as it planned to shut down its manufacturing services.

McEachnie said the workers offered to renegotiate the terms and conditions of their contracts in an effort to assist the company and prevent the dismissal of hundreds of workers.

He said they were told: “Even if you work for free, we still want to close it down.”

Attempts to contact Unilever for clarification on the matter were unsuccessful.

Unilever manufactures products such as Breeze laundry detergent, Quix dishwashing liquid, Cif, Comfort, and Foods Plant products including Blue Band, Flora, I Can’t Believe its Not Butter, Cookeen and Golden Ray.