Disgruntled workers of Ramco Industries Ltd yesterday staged a protest over the seven per cent wage increase being offered by the company. Describing their current salary as "starvation wages," the placard-bearing workers, led by Oilfields Workers' Trade Union (OWTU) representatives, chanted "we want we money!" as they marched near their Cross Crossing, San Fernando, worksite. OWTU's industrial relation's officer, Foster Harrington, said they have reached a stalemate in negotiations for new terms and conditions of employment for the period 2008 to 2011. He said the main issue was the company's seven per cent offer which they have rejected. Although the two sides have had some 31 meetings since 2009, they have failed to reach an agreement.
Harrington said: "Currently the workers receive starvation wages as indicated on the placards. To be employed in the gas industry and to receive $100 a day, that is unacceptable. "This has forced workers to work 12 hours a day and every Saturday to get something substantial. I don't even want to say respectable." Harrington, who called on National Petroleum Company (NP) to intervene, said the union was seeking a 65 per cent increase. He said management claimed it could not increase its offer because the company had already paid workers additional money with the recent increase in the minimum wage. "We not accepting that. We saying they selling gas and workers eating grass," he declared. Harrington said the workers would take their protest to Port-of-Spain but it was not their intention at this time to disrupt the supply of gas. They are hopeful that good sense would prevail.
Ramco's chief executive officer Imtiaz Rahaman denied workers were being paid $100 a day, or that they received starvation wages. Speaking with reporters on Ramco's compound, he said the company and the union held at least 20 meetings with no real progress. "We, the company, have referred the matter to the Ministry of Labour for reconciliation," he said. Rahaman said he was hopeful they would come to a comprise. However, he added: "When you include the increases in the minimum wage that have taken place already, the company has offered far more in effective terms than seven per cent. So it is disingenuous to put seven per cent on a placard." Given the reality in T&T, he said, no one would be able to pay a 65 per cent increase, particularly "a price-controlled company whose revenues are controlled by the Ministry of Energy." Rahaman said while the protest had not disrupted the company's operations, he said it was "regrettable that we have this kind of action."