The jobs of about 85 offshore workers at the National Gas Company (NGC) of T&T may be in jeopardy if the State-owned company goes ahead with its plan to sell two offshore platforms to Spanish energy company Repsol at month’s end.
Noting a clause in the deal, worth US$.5 million, which said Repsol was not obligated to retain the workers assigned on the platforms in the Teak and Poui fields; workers representatives said they feared for their future.
According to the conditions of sale outlined in the deal, Repsol reserved the right to “have absolute discretion to restrict or cancel the rendering of any planned or existing contracts or services of NGC and use its own contracts for the execution of any works related to compression operations.”
Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday under condition of anonymity, an NGC offshore worker said about five days ago a top NGC official met with workers at the heliport in Couva as they were getting ready to take up duty.
The worker claimed they were told by the official that affected workers would be transferred to different departments according to their qualifications and that permanent workers would be dealt with first, followed by contract workers.
“This is what we were told. Then, lo and behold another group was told something different... and now we are hearing we will be given severance packages soon. That is very unfair, if that is the case,” the offshore worker said.
The T&T Guardian understands workers were told the company would give them a definitive answer on their job status by March 15.
The offshore workers, contracted and permanent, have been employed at NGC for between five and 15 years.
The worker noted that during a meeting ahead of the Christmas season last year, workers in the offshore department were assured that no one would be sent home.
Contacted last night, NGC Group of Companies chairman Gerry Brooks said there are several options available to NGC, but said he did not want to disclose any of them just yet.
He said NGC is in an evaluation phase, the objective of which was “to ensure we run a far more efficient and cost effective operation, given the dynamics of the energy industry today and that is the responsibility of any company in the sector today”.
“We are very careful and there is no final decision that has been made to sell the platforms,” Brooks added.
Asked about the future of the offshore workers, Brooks replied: “When the documents come in, we will determine, in the circumstances, what is the best option in context of our employees, platforms and organisation and we want to do that deliberately and professionally and we are being careful in what we will do.”
He said that NGC had a responsibility to all stakeholders and employees to keep them informed. (RD)