Roget: TCL workers demand respect

OILFIELD Workers Trade Union (OWTU) president general Ancel Roget has called on the management of Trinidad Cement Ltd (TCL) and the company's majority shareholder, Mexican cement company Cemex to settle outstanding wage negotiations with the workers.

Roget made the call during a protest by TCL workers outside the company's Claxton Bay plant on Friday.

While he accepted that Cemex has made investments in TCL, Roget reminded Cemex that workers are integral to the success of that investment.

"We want to ensure Cemex and TCL survive and succeed workers need to be treated fairly."

Roget said the OWTU is guided in its actions by TCL workers who want outstanding collective bargaining negotiations to be completed as soon as possible.

He reiterated the union's claims that TCL was using contract workers to fill vacant positions instead of making causal workers permanent.

Roget, who is also Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) president, said the protest was part of a series of actions that different groups f workers are taking to highlight their concerns

He also said, "Something huge is going to happen. it will be legal and it will be effective."