As the last hours of their 90-day strike trickled to an end, workers from Inland and Offshore Contractors Limited (IOCL) locked arms and marched in front of the company's headquarters in Otaheite yesterday.
Shouting, "Stronger than ever," the workers said they will remain united in their fight until they achieve their just dues. Spokesman for the Oilfield Workers Trade Union Ronald Williams said he and his comrades planned to spend the night at the strike camp.
"We are going back to work victorious and we will await our day in court when we will bring the evidence to show that we were discriminated against," Williams said. He predicted that IOCL would victimize workers, adding, "It's in their blood. This is how the capitalist operates."
He admitted that the families of some workers suffered because of the loss of income. Asked whether the OWTU will be continuing to extend support to families, Williams said, "The OWTU is not just about collective bargaining but it is also about educating workers so they can have a better quality of life."
Saying unity is strength, Williams noted that the strike has taught the workers important values of camaraderie.
Asked whether he was satisfied with IOCL's explanation that all of the workers could not be rostered to work on Friday because arrangements were still being finalized with Petrotrin, Williams said, "The company had three months to do what they had to do. Now that the strike is over we will be heading to court and we are confident we will get a fair hearing."
IOCL is one of the three main contractors which provide marine transport to Petrotrin’s Trinmar Operations. IOCL's Human Resource and Industrial Relations consultant Suren Dookie said the company will be writing to Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus for the matter to be referred to the Industrial Court. He added that IOCL does not victimize workers and if there were any such concerns, then the issue could be raised with the OWTU. IOCL qworkers officially went on strike onOctober 20 as they called on the company to pay the Trinmar minimum wage. However, IOCL saids this represented an 80 per cent wage increase which the company could not afford.