The Steelworkers Union of Trinidad and Tobago (SWUTT) is calling for urgent State intervention after 48 workers at Crystal Stream, a bottled water and beverage company located at the Frederick Settlement Eteck Park in Caroni, were sent home without severance following the sudden closure of the facility.
The company is expected to close its doors at the end of next month, which has triggered alarm within the labour movement, with union officials warning that the situation bears striking similarities to the 2016 ArcelorMittal shutdown, when hundreds of workers were left without terminal benefits after liquidation.
Speaking to Guardian Media outside the company’s Caroni office, union president Timothy Bailey said employees received termination letters on April 16th, just days after Parliament signalled movement on amendments to strengthen the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act.
“On Friday, the working class felt we got a victory,” Bailey said, referencing Cabinet’s approval of the legislation piloted by Minister of Labour Leroy Baptiste.
“We are here Monday morning to report that Crystal Stream has terminated its entire workforce and told them they are not entitled to any severance or terminal benefits,” Bailey said.
He said the abrupt nature of the shutdown has left workers shocked and financially vulnerable, with some employees reportedly having up to 25 years of continuous service.
He noted that among those affected are single parents, mortgage holders, and workers with existing loans and school-related expenses.
Crystal Waters Ltd, a local bottled water and beverage manufacturer, was founded and owned by businessman John Henry, who is now deceased.
The company had been a known supplier in the local retail and distribution sector for several years, but recently faced structural and operational uncertainty following his passing, with questions surrounding leadership continuity and corporate direction.
The union said that despite any internal corporate challenges, workers’ statutory rights remain intact and cannot be disregarded during closure or restructuring.
Under the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which is currently before Parliament, the State is seeking to modernise redundancy law by expanding definitions of retrenchment, strengthening consultation requirements and ensuring severance obligations are preserved even in cases of insolvency or business shutdown.
The reforms are also intended to close loopholes that previously allowed companies to avoid paying workers during liquidation or abrupt closure, a central concern in the current dispute.
Under the existing severance framework, workers with 25 years of service would typically be entitled to approximately 70 weeks of basic pay, equivalent to about 16 months of salary.
The union argues that employees at Crystal Waters, some with more than two decades of service, should not be left without compensation, particularly under a legislative environment designed to prevent such outcomes.
Bailey urged Government to intervene swiftly, warning that the timing of the dismissals raises serious concerns about employers attempting to act ahead of the full implementation of the new law.
“We cannot sit by and allow these workers to suffer,” he said. “Every single worker matters, whether it is 40 people or 400.”
The union said it will pursue all available legal avenues to secure compensation for affected employees while calling on Parliament to ensure that companies like Crystal Waters are held accountable under both existing law and the incoming reforms.
Guardian Media attempted to contact liquidator Maria Daniel of EY, but calls to her phone were not immediately answered.
