NFM workers' protest continues

Protests continued on Wednesday at the National Flour Mills (NFM) over wage negotiations.

Michael Annisette, president of the Seamen Waterfront Workers' Trade Union (SWWTU) said he has discussed the protest with Trade Minister Vasant Bharath.

“I met with him and I expressed my concerns. It was really an informal meeting. He said he wanted to discuss issues like productivity and I have no problem with that,” Annisette said.

SWWTU is in negotiations now with the NFM for the period 2010 to 2012. They are 26 months into negotiations.

The NFM workers’ protest started Tuesday outside the company’s premises on Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain.

Annisette said he is yet to hear from NFM's management since he met with them on August 3.

“We met with acting CEO Cheryl Edwards and her team in August and they said they would have got back to us and we now into September and there has been no word as yet,” he said.

According to Annisette, most of the workers from the production arm of NFM were protesting.

“I would say about 90 per cent of the 100 workers in the Production department are outside here. We need to get back to the negotiating table,” he said.