Anger, frustration, anxiety, sadness, bitterness.
These are some of the words which now describe the emotional state of some Petrotrin workers who will be losing their jobs when Government begins the impending restructuring process next month.
Some workers—nationally known names who’ve contributed to T&T beyond company work—who spoke to Sunday Guardian last week have been working through a range of feelings since the closure of Petrotrin’s refinery was announced.
The picture is bleaker after last Friday’s statement by the Petrotrin board reinforcing that closure transition beginning tomorrow will be completed by November 30.
Result: the Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union march from south to north next week to send the message of the effect on 5,000-plus lives on communities nationwide. Those whose lives have gone from steady to shaky in a month, may not even be looking to tomorrow’s Budget for assurance.
Following are some of the workers’ stories moving forward:
JAZZ SINGER
VAUGHNETTE BIGFORD
Bigford feels like an abused wife who’s worked hard for a family and been discarded after the spouse finds a new love.
“Serious...that’s how I feel,” she told the Sunday Guardian.
“I worked with Petrotrin (Marine Operations) over 20 years. I love my Health/Safety job, did my best for and contributed to the economy. But workers are being vilified and made to pay the price for decisions of people above my pay grade, some dead, some alive reaping corruption benefits.
“Government’s intention was vilifying us to get public support for the closure. But if I work for the next 15 years I’d never come close to getting $38,000 monthly. I’m a proud Petrotrin worker—they’ve taken that pride away from me.
“They clearly have no clue of the decision’s effects on half of Petrotrin—its workers. Government first talked of ‘enhanced package’, now we’re hearing strictly ‘severance regarding collective agreement’. It keep changing. Jazz singing won’t sustain me 365 days. A colleague of mine and his family moved into their new home in August—the next day he got the closure news. You can imagine their feelings.”
“I’ll definitely be in OWTU’s march. To people hearing about closure, we’re just numbers—but we are people. Just like you.”
T&T WORLD CUP
INDOOR HOCKEY CAPTAIN SOLOMON ECCLES
Eccles never thought he’d regret leaving London studies to return home to work in Petrotrin.
And when he took the T&T team to Berlin in March—for first ever finals and the Pan American Games last year, Eccles never ever thought he might have to consider leaving T&T. But that might become his option if he and his family can’t make it after the refinery’s closure.
Eccles, 35, of Cunupia, works in the refinery’s Operation section. After 10 years, his is one of the 1,700 crude oil refinery posts to be wiped out permanently.
“I have a mortgage, my son is nine months—this is the worst thing ever for us. My father worked in Petrotrin and since I knew myself I’ve wanted to do so also. My dad’s retired. But he doesn’t escape the current situation since we don’t know what’ll happen with his pension.
“I think about this every day: why did I return? I was seeking job security. Now it’s gone. I wouldn’t have left England if I knew this would have happened. I had opportunities, I was already coaching at Old Loughtonians. When I returned I thought it was the best decision. Oil prices were high. Now, I’m thinking it was one of my worst decisions.”
Eccles added that Petrotrin had T&T’s best hockey team.
Like many others, Eccles speaks of bad company management.
“Still, I never expected this. First time I heard about closure, I said they can’t be serious—work was on as usual. I’m not sure what I’ll do until I see how they proceed. I may consider migrating, United Arab Emirates has many refineries and I’m trained.
“My decision will depend on how T&T’s economy goes. Until you have the answers on this closure—and on the economy—migration remains my option.”
FORMER T&T TRACK/FIELD STAR ALVIN DANIEL
“This is real life—it’s no ‘story’. Everything’s upside down. At work, people in a daze, you talking to somebody and they not responding. People thinking about their house, car, their children in school or in university—these are the hard facts. I cannot see any government displacing people without warning like this.”
Daniel represented T&T at the 1992 Olympics, with a national record in 400 metres relay. He’s a 1993 World Championship silver medal holder, Carifta gold, silver and bronze holder, CAC, Caricom and T&T champ. He’s among a who’s who of national sports stars who’ve worked with Petrotrin over decades.
Very likely to be among OWTU marchers next week, he shared his feelings in tones of anger, mixed with sadness for the company he’s spent 28 years with, travelling from his Point Fortin home to his Pointe-a-Pierre Maintenance division job and despair for consequences ahead.
“I’m 10 years to retirement but I can’t be fooled with ‘big payout’ talk. Once money ent coming in and it’s only going out, it won’t last. My family’s still in shock, thinking, ‘how Rowley could do this to we?’
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“We aren’t statistics—why anybody should hang a ‘big salary’ tag on me and want the whole country to turn against workers? People here work long hours, night into day, breathing in dangerous chemicals daily. You can understand that?”
As a former national sportsman, Daniel’s concerned about another impact.
“Petrotrin and predecessor companies weren’t only about producing oil, they were always incubators for sports talent. Youths from communities were trained and nurtured. Petrotrin produced big T&T talent: football, cricket, athletics, hockey, lawn/table tennis. You name players—they worked there.
“We, in turn, were trained as youths’ role models. What mechanism will there be for youths? We might be creating crime if they have no outlets.
“Also, what will severance packages be for workers who acted in posts for years? What happens to workers’ cases in the Industrial Court? What about the Sports Club employees...Southern Games and Guaracara Park? What about workers whose children attend the Special School and St Peter’s school. After closure, workers’ sick children or retirees won’t be able to use the hospital. I work there so long, I’m even worried about our products and refinery assets.”
Daniel added, “Point never had sporting facilities. I trained in the road, the muddy savannah, but Point could become a ghost town again after Trinmar closes. I’m all about country. I’ve been everywhere - T&T’s best. I’ve done my part for T&T in sports, now look what your own country do to you - put you out of a job.
“These are the things that make people turn away. I grew up in a PNM constituency that only voted otherwise (NAR) once in 30 years. In future, I have to think carefully about all my choices. I have more to worry about now.”
INDEPENDENT SENATOR MELISSA RAMKISSOON
Ramkissoon, a Petrotrin engineer, has worn a strong face while doing her Senate tasks since the restructuring was announced, but it’s masked a heavy heart.
Ramkissoon and her brother —also at Petrotrin—are children of the oil industry. Their father’s a former Trintoc employee and the family has experienced Trintoc’s closure. Therefore, the Petrotrin shutdown, where she loses her job alongside 4,799 others, is especially difficult.
She said, “After 10 years as an Inspection Engineer in Maintenance Services Department, four years at refinery and six in Exploration and Production, this is a sad, sad period for T&T. I don’t support closure of the refinery after major investments have been made to refurbish various facilities and build new plants costing millions.
“Refinery products—gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, fuel oil, bitumen, LPG and other by-products—will no longer belong to Trinbagonians. Our nation’s core resources, oil and gas, run deep, embedded in the blood and sweat of decades of oilfield workers.
“I believe the impact of this will be far-reaching and since the numbers of workers (permanent, temporary, casual and contract) impacted are in the thousands, the extent of this decision is beyond comprehension.”
SOCA ARTISTE
NYAH GEORGE
George, who has worked his way up from apprenticeship at 18 to Pointe-a-Pierre administration at 49, knows Petrotrin inside out.
“To be real, I have no problem with restructuring or staff cuts, but with the underhanded tactics and the way this was done. I see through the charade to the obvious agenda. If you wanted to cut staff, there are 1,500 people over 50 for whom VSEP could have easily been offered, why send everybody home all at once? To get rid of the union.”
George said the situation tells him something about T&T’s leaders.
“If you have a house, you wouldn’t shake it to make it unstable. It’s a big disrespect to come in August and tell people ‘closure in October’ and up to now, no separation package details.
“You talking about mismanagement, OK...but you’re holding workers, who have to follow management’s order, responsible for the situation?”
George said he’ll give business in T&T a try until it doesn’t make sense.
“Then I may head to the US—they leave me with no choice
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because they prevent you from doing what you should be doing here.”
He added, “I see dark days for T&T. It’s Petrotrin workers who support Marabella business, Westmoorings people don’t come down here. Marabella could become a depressed area—a hotspot.”
George expects tomorrow’s Budget to have “gimmicks” to deal with the situation.
“But we’re not only living for 18 months before elections, we’re living beyond elections. People may have good ideas but for the office they hold, they’re lacking in providing a better quality of life. This (closure) may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back—who doubt, let’s wait and see.”
STRIKE SQUAD
NATIONAL FOOTBALLER BRIAN WILLIAMS
A former national footballer and coaching name since 1979, including with Petrotrin’s 2006/08 team, Williams’ company ties began with its Tesoro predecessor from 18. After 28 years, lately with Santa Flora’s Communications Unit, he’s trying to brave the closure.
His personal view: “I never thought it’d shut down, we say Petrotrin was here for life. I grew up in Santa Flora. Surrounding communities once depended on Petrotrin for garbage collection, grass cutting, maintenance. It had deep community links which goes beyond refinery work.
“I have a few years before retirement. I know change is the only constant and we have to adapt, but I was really taken aback with the extent of Petrotrin’s losses. We knew things required attention, but it’s sad today’s employees have to carry the mismanagement burden of the past.”
He added: “It’s difficult to deal with after the contribution Petrotrin made to T&T and the south. If we had losses something should have been done to prevent closure. But we have to trust decision makers. If it has to close in T&T’s interest—so be it. Life has to go on and adjust.
“But because of Petrotrin’s huge sponsorships in sports, education and culture, the name will be missed greatly. I was preparing for retirement, coaching, but I’m sad for the community since Petrotrin was the main employer. I hope decision-makers do right for T&T—and workers.”