OWTU: Time for talk done, pay up

THE Oilfields Workers Trade Union (OWTU) has called on management of Lennox Petroleum Services Ltd (LPSL) to obey a court ruling and pay its ex-workers outstanding sums owed.

The ex-workers have been engaged in protests outside the company’s San Fernando compound claiming they are owed US$6.5 million by the company. The company has called on the workers to stop engaging in these protests. But in a press release issued on the weekend, the OWTU accused the company of showing disrespect to the workers.   

“The OWTU rejects the allegation by Lennox Petroleum that the protest was illegal and maintains that workers are well within their rights,” the OWTU release stated.

The union said the Industrial Court had last month dismissed an appeal by LPSL against an order given on July 8, for it to pay the workers. The union said the company appealed the July 8 order, claiming to be unaware of the figures owed to workers.

“However, if the quantification of the money owed to the workers was the point of law used to appeal the judgment to the Industrial Court, then clearly that failed as their case was rejected,” the union release stated. It suggested that the company apply to the court for clarification if this is needed.

The union said the ex-workers were within their rights to protest based on the Dispute and Right to Property Act Chap 88:03 Sect. 3, 4, 6 and 7 . This Act states, according to the union, “It is lawful for a worker in pursuant of a trade dispute to peacefully picket his/her workplace, or the home, dwelling place or business address of their employer.”

The union said it found that LPSL was being disingenuous to call for a meeting when the date of compliance with the court order has passed. If the company wants to meet with the union, only the courts can facilitate and arrange it, the release said.

The release said, “We are also very concerned by what appears to be growing efforts by those who hold high economic and social influence within our society to ridicule, castigate and demonise members of the working public...” 

In denying that it ever received any letter from the LPSL, the OWTU said, “In any event, there is nothing to discuss as the court has already ruled.”

The rule of law must be respected, it insisted, adding that merely writing to the union, does not and cannot be construed as a reason to not pay workers the money owed.

The union said it is always open to dialogue but that this must not be done as a means of circumventing declarations or judgments handed down by the Industrial Court.

Rather, such dialogue or discussion must be complementary and in compliance with the system of law, the practise of good industrial relations and good faith, the release said.