Petrotrin continues to manage its limited fuel supply as threats of a massive fuel shortage looms following yesterday’s shutdown of the company’s land, marine and refinery operations by the Oilfields Workers Trade Union.
Citing unsafe working conditions, president general of the union, Ancel Roget, led hundreds of workers in a mass struggle, saying Petrotrin must improve its security arrangements and protect its 5,000 workers at all costs, despite decreasing production and low energy prices.
Throughout the day, Trinmar’s marine installations remained at a standstill as the OWTU served strike notice to Inland Offshore Contractors Limited (IOCL), one of three contractors which transports marine workers to the Trinmar offshore production fields in the Gulf of Paria.
Hundreds of Petrotrin workers from producing fields in Forest Reserve, Santa Flora, Penal, Barrackpore, Fyzabad, Guayaguayare, Point Fortin and Trinmar also stayed off the job, along with employees of the Pointe-a-Pierre refinery where petroleum products, like kerosene, gasoline, diesel and aviation jet fuel are produced.
The Petrotrin bond, where fuel is distributed, remained operational so gas stations were still able to get their fuel supplies.
However, Roget warned that Petrotrin’s fuel storage supplies may last only two days so customers would feel the pinch of a fuel shortage by the weekend.
Saying the protest was the first wave of action meant to highlight the company’s lack of concern for security following the death of Curtis Pierre who jumped into a Petrotrin tank at Trinmar Tank Farm and died on October 8, Roget declared war on the company.
Accusing Petrotrin of attempting to cover up Pierre’s death, Roget called for the immediate removal of chief of security Cleve Richards.
“This is a massive cover-up. If they do the investigation in a proper way, you will find the company is liable for the breach in security arrangements,” Roget said.
He explained that Petrotrin had downsized security by 50 per cent in some areas, making Petrotrin workers vulnerable to saboteurs, robbers and other criminals.
“Imagine the security guard getting robbed by the gates. Dead bodies in the fields. A policeman by the gate at Forest Reserve was beaten and robbed because he alone holding a sentry at that location but nobody cares.
“They install cameras, video cameras and facial recognition to ‘maco’ the workers but your billion dollar facility that gathers all the oil for the refinery is not protected,” Roget said.
He also called for a settlement of wage negotiations, filling of vacancies, unfair promotions and improvement of the workers’ medical plans.
Roget denied Petrotrin’s workers were responsible for a decline in productivity.
He also said workers would picket the offices of the Petrotrin board as well as Energy Minister Nicole Olivierre.
PETROTRIN RESPONDS
In a statement yesterday, Petrotrin’s vice-president of human resources and corporate services, Neil Derrick, said Petrotrin’s security was under review.
He said contingency plans would be put in place, adding that Petrotrin was very concerned about the action.
He added that the company would do everything to manage its fuel supplies and keep its operations functional.
“The refinery throughput is highest than it has been for a while and we making every effort to keep it that way. We looked at initiatives at increasing production and our meeting on Monday was to discuss with the union the initiatives to increase production.
“We remain very concerned but we will do everything to manage our supplies to the public and we will do everything to keep our operations functional,” Derrick added.
He also said after discussions with the OWTU, Richards was removed and one of the administrators was put in a position of acting CSO.
He added: “We spoke to the Minister of National Security to get an independent person to be part of investigations and that team will be put together today.”
He said Petrotrin remained concerned about the OWTU’s actions in light of low oil prices and low product prices.