OWTU appeals to Labour Minister to help retrenched Yara workers

THE Oilfield Workers Union (OWTU) has appealed to Labour Minister Stephen McClashie to intervene and help 15 workers who have been retrenched from Yara Trinidad Ltd.

OWTU trustee member Ernesto Kesar made the appeal when he spoke with reporters outside Yara's ammonia plant at the Point Lisas Industrial Estate on Wednesday.

Kesar recalled that on November 18, Yara issued retrenchment notices to 15 workers in the union's bargaining unit at the company. He said the union responded the following day.

He explained the company's and OWTU's respective letters were done in accordance with the Retrenchment and Severance Benefit Act.

Kesar said the union has been in negotiations for almost a year and those talks are still ongoing. Those negotiations, he continued, "are for the collective agreement for the period August 1, 2019 to July 31, 2022."

Kesar said Yara indicated it had some difficulties and the union "extended in an unprecedented manner, a serious hand to assist the company to solve these issues." But he added, "Lo and behold, in midstream, after we believed that we would have overcome those issues, the company made their decision, as it is their prerogative, to send home some 15 workers in our bargaining unit."

On December 21 and in accordance with the law, Kesar said, the OWTU wrote to McClashie asking for him to intervene after the union and Yara exchanged letters about the workers who were retrenched. He added that Yara has not responded to the union's proposal on how to treat with the retrenched workers.

After January 2, Kesar said the retrenchment of these workers will be go into effect.

While the ministry e-mailed the OWTU on December 22 to say it had received its letter, Kesar said no arrangement had been made for a meeting with McClashie. He also said the OWTU delivered a hard copy of its letter to the ministry in Port of Spain.

"We are saying the clock is ticking and these workers are going into 2021, unsure, uncertain and definitely distressed, not having a job."

Kesar called on McClashie to uphold his end of the bargain and intervene, because the OWTU and Yara have been unable to reach a resolution.

He also claimed there has been a proliferation of contract labour in Yara for years and the retrenched workers could easily fill some of these jobs. "We have identified all of the areas where these comrades can be re-deployed, these are permanent workers with service, qualified, many of them have degrees."

Kesar was concerned about the retrenched workers being used as pawns.

In 2019, Yara announced the closure of its Point Lisas plant. In a release in 2019, the company said the plant had a lower production capacity, was less energy-efficient and was plagued by low ammonia prices.

The collapse of negotiations between the National Gas Company and Yara also contributed to the company’s inability to maintain that plant, and so it ceased production.