OWTU demands overhaul at T&TEC

OILFIELDS Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) executive second vice president Reesa Ramlogan-Jodha demanded the immediate resignation of Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC) chief human resources officer (CHRO) Carmela Sarjeant and the removal of the existing board as the union staged an "action" outside the company's office on Frederick Street, Port of Spain, on June 11.

Ramlogan-Jodha said the gathering was not a protest but a co-ordinated action by employees on their scheduled days off or who had officially requested leave, ensuring operations at T&TEC were not disrupted.

“I want to make it absolutely clear the intention of this action is not to be disruptive in any way,” she said. “It is to send a message, and if the message is not heeded, then there is going to be an intervention by the workers.”

Ramlogan-Jodha criticised Sarjeant’s appointment, saying although the union initially accepted her external placement over two years ago, the relationship has since deteriorated.

“We appreciated her appointment at first. We gave her time to settle and we tried to work with her, but over time it became clear she is not working with us. She is working against us.”

Among the union’s chief concerns are stalled promotions, unfilled vacancies, improperly handled retirements and, most recently, what the OWTU described as an attempt to unilaterally change the terms of the workers' medical plan.

“The straw that broke the camel’s back was her attempt to alter the terms and conditions of our medical plan without consulting us,” she said, noting the last formal review of the plan occurred over a decade ago, despite best practices recommending reviews every three to four years.

Ramlogan-Jodha accused Sarjeant of scheduling and holding a meeting regarding the plan without union involvement, only informing the union afterwards and claiming they were absent.

“She excluded us from the meeting, then wrote to us claiming we didn’t attend. That’s unacceptable. What she’s proposing now is a unilateral change that affects our membership, and OWTU will not accept that.”

She added Sarjeant had “exceeded her time” in the role and failed to foster good industrial relations.

Ramlogan-Jodha also called for the removal of T&TEC’s current board, which she said remained aligned with the previous political administration and had become a barrier to organisational progress.

“We voted for change on April 28 (general election). Why is the old board still in place? That board operated under the former political directorate.”

She said the continued presence of the old board was creating confusion and stagnation at the management level.

“Executive management doesn’t know how to operate in this climate. It’s affecting operations. Acting letters are being withheld, promotions are stalled, and temporary workers' contracts are expiring without renewal.”

Addressing the medical plan again, Ramlogan-Jodha said while costs have increased significantly over the last decade, workers’ salaries remain frozen at 2014 levels. She said the CHRO’s proposed solution unfairly burdens workers and retirees.

“Management’s contribution to the plan is fixed unless salaries change, so they want to increase only the workers’ share. That’s not sustainable. Retirees, who live on fixed incomes, can’t absorb those increases.”

The union, she said, has historically supported retirees through negotiated settlements, but Sarjeant’s plan threatens to reverse that support.

“We’ve had enough. We gave her time. It’s time for her to step down and allow someone who respects proper industrial relations and best practices to take over.”

When asked how long the union was willing to wait, Ramlogan-Jodha replied: “We are calling for an immediate resignation. T&TEC has been functioning without her. We’ve been requesting meetings and getting no response. We can continue operating while a replacement is found.”

She hinted that further actions were likely if the union's demands were ignored.