PTSC Tobago cleaners demand proper PPE

As covid19 cases escalate in Tobago, PTSC workers remain concerned about sanitation issues.

On Thursday evening in a Facebook live video, general officer of the Transport and Industrial Workers Union (TIWU) Executive, Tedd Taylor called on the management of PTSC Tobago to ensure that cleaners have the proper PPE.

Contacted on Friday, Taylor told Newsday the cleaners have been bullied, as PTSC has demanded they sanitise the buses wearing lab coats that were not agreed upon by the union and PTSC.

“PTSC went ahead and bought these lab coats and demanded that the workers wear it and it is not suitable for sanitising, so the workers would have made a stand and they had their time stopped for the entire day on Thursday for their eight-hour shift,” he said.

He said as a result, there was a delay in services on Thursday and Friday.

Taylor said: “All we are calling for...is for the workers to be given the right PPE to sanitise these buses. We’re talking about workers who have families at home, who have children...we’re also concerned about the travelling public and we’re also concerned about the drivers. If this process is not being done properly, where the personnel do not have the proper PPE, everybody now is at risk.”

On Friday, Taylor confirmed that he and other members of the union met with the management at PTSC and another meeting is carded for Monday in Port of Spain where they are expected to display suitable PPE.

“The HR manager has assured us that this process would be done in order to go forward.

“But for now, the buses and them would be on route and would be sanitised the best way we could until we do the proper demonstration of the PPE on Monday,” he said.

Acting president of the Tobago Branch of TIWU Roland Guy said they had agreed that until the situation is rectified on Monday, the workers would come to work but not do a full eight hours.

“They would come and do their job and be able to leave at least until Monday.

“On Monday, what is happening is that the executive will meet with the upper management and have a viewing of the different PPEs because that was the issue, not having the right PPEs to execute their duties. So, on Monday, they are going to meet and hopefully find a positive way forward from there,” he said adding that he has since met with the affected workers and they were very satisfied with the talks.

Guy said the cleaners "would have worked with what they have for the longest while. For the entire pandemic so far, they would have been working with what they have because, basically, Tobago really didn’t have any cases. So now that the cases in Tobago is starting to rise – we’re at 12 – so because of that, their concerns have been escalated. Now they’ve decided that they need to get the proper stuff as they’re no longer willing to risk themselves.”