Country manager of Stork Technical Services Philip Vilain has denied reports that contract workers were now being hired to replace permanent workers who accepted Voluntary Separation Enhancement packages against the advice of their union last month.
Responding to questions sent to him via Whatsapp, Vilain also denied that the company had promised to pay the Board of Inland Revenue taxes on behalf of the workers.
In an interview, Vilain said “Enhanced Voluntary Separation Enhancement Package was offered based on discussions with the employees union. The employees were told that we will apply to BIR for an exemption on the taxes due on the agreed sum but that outcome was not guaranteed.”
Saying the BIR did not grant the exemption, Vilain explained they were now seeking a meeting with the Oilfield Workers Trade Union to seek a resolution to the matter.
He also said, “I have no knowledge that new scaffolders were hired to replace the staffers who accepted VSEP.”
On Tuesday, permanent senior staff employees staged a protest outside of the company’s headquarters in Point Lisas saying they were hoodwinked by the company.
Former shop steward of the Oilfield Workers Trade Union Learie Licorish, who also accepted VSEP said the offer was made to 50 permanent workers from the Scaffolding department at Point Lisas and Mayaro/Guayaguayare of which 20 of them accepted.
Senior supervisor at the Scaffolding department Vivian Hutch said the decision to accept the offer was based on a promise of enhancement from the company. He said, “We were given an agreement that we will be paid a certain amount of money. (Name called) told us the package will not be taxed. Some of us got a 15 per cent enhancement and others got a 20 per cent enhancement. The agreement we made with Stork was that no tax will be paid on this money. We signed a document, we asked if the money will be taxed and they said anything under $300,000 will not be taxed. On the final day of agreement when we were supposed to receive our cheque, they called and said the cheque is at the Board of Inland Revenue and they will be taking a 25 per cent tax,” Hutch said.
Saying the taxation was unfair, Hutch called for a reopening of the negotiation for VSEP.
Tuesday was not the first time the workers protested.
In July, the workers protested against unfair VSEP but Vilain denied this, saying all necessary protocols were taken into account.
He said the VSEP was due to the general downturn in the industry as well as the loss of a specific contract to one of the company’s competitors.