Workers from Yara Trinidad’s three-plant ammonia production facility staged an eighth day of protest yesterday following a breakdown of negotiations.
As early as 7am, over 70 workers gathered outside the company’s office at Southern Main Road, Savonnetta where they called on the management to deal fairly with their issues.
The Oilfields Trade Union branch president Keith Meils said after 15 sessions the company refused to offer more than two per cent for the negotiating period 2016-2019.
He also noted that the management wanted to change the pension plan to a contributory plan so that workers will no longer be entitled to a defined benefit where they are guaranteed two thirds of their final salaries.” Instead all you will get back is what you put in,” Meils said.
When negotiations started in September 2016, the OWTU requested a 30 per cent increase, but later decreased its demand to 14 per cent and then 10 per cent, Meils said.
“They are using retirees as consultants and paying them exorbitant sums of money rather than investing in the young engineers. There is also an issue of understaffing as we only have 180 workers when there should be a workforce of 250,” Meils added.
Following a breakdown in bilateral talks, Meils said the matter was referred to the Ministry of Labour. Both parties have 14 days to resolve the matter following which strike notice or lockout action could be t aken. President of Yara, Richard De La Bastide was not in office and was not available for comment.