Roget ultimatum to Cemex: Pay retirees or get out of Trinidad and Tobago

THERE was much criticism back in 2017 when president of the Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU) Ancel Roget issued an ultimatum to bpTT to take its platform/rig and go, around the time TT lost the opportunity to have the company build its Angelin platform in La Brea.

Some six years later, Roget has issued a similar demand, this time to Mexican cement giant Cemex, which is running the former TCL plant at Claxton Bay.

Roget is making no apologies, saying people have different agendas and will hear what they want to hear, but there must be respect for the laws of the land and consequences for those who fail to adhere.

He said for the past eight years, some 250 retirees, whose blood, sweat and tears built the fortunes of the cement company, have not received their benefits, which were negotiated in their collective agreements, which are lodged in the courts.

“This is not new money. This is outstanding monies these workers would have contributed to during their time of employment."

He said the money represented adjustments to their pensions, gratuity, cost of living allowance, medical and other plans that were negotiated and which they had already worked for.

The violation of the collective agreement, the denial to retirees of their medical plans at a time when they would need them most, he said, is uncaring, as the medical and compensation plan for the foreign managers from Mexico and Spain, who head the locally-based company, are top of the line.

He said the union has been doing its job in representing the retirees, but alleged there is a directive from outside to “tie up” the matter in the Industrial Court, which is woefully understaffed and underresourced.

The union leader said such disrespect and disregard for the collective agreements should not be tolerated, “but our regulators, the people who are in charge of the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, could not care less about what happens to their citizens."

While justice is delayed, Roget said, retirees are dying without enjoying their benefits, the fruits of their labour.

“Therefore the retirees have to take matters into their own hands.”

Standing outside the Claxton Bay plant with some of the affected retirees on Tuesday morning, Roget asserted that their first option is for industrial peace and justice and for them to be paid outstanding benefits.

Roget called on Cemex International to rectify this matter immediatelyby instructing its local managers to do the right thing.

He said government should also consider other options to ensure the foreigners respect the collective agreements and laws of the land or have their work permits revoked.

Failing any of the listed options, Roget then recommended that if government really cares about the retirees and instructs the cement giant to do right by workers, but it does not, then, “Get these people packing and get them out of our country now.”

Learie Mike, who worked for TCL for 34 years, pleaded for government intervention.

“We want the authorities to do something about this suffering we are going through. People have been victimised, people have been sent home. We have casuals with 30 years of service who were just cut out of the system.

“Workers in this country are being victimised, their families are being destroyed because the people who are representing us in high office, who are supposed to stand up and make their voices heard for us, are not doing so.

“We want the company to meet with the union, set a date and settle our matters. We want our just due.”