OWTU, T&TEC claim legal win over protests

THE Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU) said the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC) has failed to get an injunction against the union on October 27 to stop it and its members from engaging in “peaceful protest action.”

However, in a media release on October 27, T&TEC said the protests on October 24 and 25 were "unlawful industrial action which...severely impacted the commission’s operations, by certain workers failing to report for rostered duty."

The Industrial Court set a case management hearing to be held on November 11.

In a media release on October 27, the OWTU said it told the court that the protest actions taken by T&TEC workers were the workers exercising their right to peacefully picket the employer outside working hours: before work, during their lunchtime and after work.

It said these actions did not therefore hamper the commission’s operations and did not amount to the unlawful withdrawal of any labour.

“On every occasion the union publicly advised the workers to return to work and not to disrupt the commission’s operations.

“The union gave an undertaking to the court that it will continue to advise the workers as it has done in the past, not to initiate or partake in any industrial action and to report for their rostered duty as required.”

T&TEC said the union, having been notified of its application for injunctive relief, appeared through counsel and upon perusing the commission’s submissions, gave an undertaking not to take part in any industrial action and to instruct its members not to take part in same and to report for work as rostered.

T&TEC said, "Contrary to the press release issued earlier today by the OWTU, the undertaking given by the union has the same effect as an injunction. Penal consequences have been attached for breach of the undertaking, which will result in the court compelling compliance with same."