Striking workers from Inland and Offshore Contractors Ltd say they are bracing for victimisation when they return to work later this week as their 90-day strike comes to an end on Thursday.
Some of the workers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, say they are certain that when they go back to work, the company’s management would find ways to make them suffer.
“Some of us were anxious to go back out to work but then the company stated that we should return on Friday rather than Wednesday and this made some of us worried about victimisation,” one of the strikers said.
He added that a few workers had broken the picket line and returned to work but the majority of employees had stayed truthful to the cause.
“I think we got the respect from the company but right now all of us are very demotivated and when we go back out to work we will not have the zeal that we had before,” another worker said.
Asked what impact the strike had on family life, the workers said many of their colleagues from Icacos and Cedros did not have money to travel to come to the strike camp every day.
“Some people had problems paying their bills and they had to hustle with odd jobs,” he added.
Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union shop steward Ronald Williams was engaged in a meeting yesterday and was expected to meet with the striking workers yesterday to let them know the date they would have to return to work.
Meanwhile, IOCL’s Human Resource and Industrial Relations consultant Suren Dookie said not all workers would be required to come out to duty on Friday.
“This is not about victimisation. We have to roster our crews. We are in discussions with Petrotrin to ensure that things are ready and then we will roster our crews. We are also in touch with the union to ensure that there are no impediments with respect to employees resuming duties,” Dookie added.
Saying that IOCL does not engage in victimisation, Dookie added, “I cannot allay their fears, in accordance with the Industrial Relations Act, either party can make a request to the Minister of Labour to refer the matter to the court. If the union and employer doesn’t make a request the Minister doesnt have the authority to refer it to court.”
He added that any worker who feels victimised can bring their concerns to the OWTU.
The union is seeking a wage increase of 80 per cent for the period 2013-2015 to put the workers on par with Petrotrin’s minimum wage. IOCL officials maintain that the requirement to pay the Petrotrin minimum wage is null and void because a collective agreement already exists with a representative union.
IOCL provides marine and land transportation services for Petrotrin’s Trinmar operations. The strike action began on October 20, last year.