Disgruntled workers of the University of the West Indies' St Augustine Campus are calling on president general of the Oilfields Workers' Trade Union (OWTU) Ancel Roget to lead them into battle in their protracted labour war of attrition as he recently did with Petrotrin workers.
Many university employees gathered under a samaan tree at the campus ground at 10 am yesterday to hear their union representatives update them on the impasse between the two parties as no resolution was reached at the Industrial Court on Friday and also to discuss strategy.
The workers were disappointed that in their hour of greatest need, Roget was not around to represent them. One visibly upset UWI worker said Roget was needed to attract media attention and highlight their plight. To loud cheers and applause she said a lot of her peers did not know what they were going through.
She said they would say to her that she was working UWI and getting "nice money,'" and ask what was she fighting for?She said they did not realise they were still fighting the first fight which was ongoing for five years.Speaking to the T&T Guardian, OWTU vice president John Nicholson said the union had full confidence in its second vice-president, Teddy Stapleton, representing the workers as it was his responsibility. "He's in charge of the East-West Corridor and Tobago but this is very dicey as it is and not only that it is drawn out so I don't see why the president can't put in his presence. It will have an effect," Nicholson said. As the workers were constrained from taking protest action as the matter was before the Industrial Court, the union members and university workers discussed ways and means to take "random action to bring about no production" on the campus. This would including replacing "protest" with "pray," such as praying in front the CPO's office, picnicking or having a family day on the UWI principal's, Professor Clement Sankat, grounds, sleeping at work and falling sick.
Nicholson said the workers were under a "pall of victimisation" which warranted serious attention. When asked about the plainclothes and uniformed security personnel monitoring the gathering, he said it was totally against protocol because they should have maintained their distance but they forced themselves into the crowd.
UWI's human resources director, Stephen Sheppard, said president of the Industrial Court Deborah Thomas-Felix, who presided over the matter Friday expressed her concerns about the number of injunctions before her and said work stoppages were not in the best interest of the country's economy.Sheppard said the university would hold a negotiation update with staff and "within a couple days and have things finally resolved."Another union/staff meeting will be held on Thursday at 10 am at the same UWI venue.