The Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) has expressed support for the Prime Minister and the Government’s position on the Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago, including the decision to reassess the chamber’s role in the energy sector and to cancel the STOW certification system.
In a media statement, the OWTU said it agreed with the Prime Minister’s view that the Energy Chamber has long held a privileged position within the sector, which the union said developed under the former PNM administration. The union contended that the chamber primarily represents the interests of multinational companies and major local contractors, while smaller contractors and workers have been excluded.
The OWTU argued that the STOW certification process was created and controlled by the Energy Chamber and structured in a way that disadvantaged small and medium-sized enterprises. According to the union, the cost of certification placed it beyond the reach of many local contractors, limiting their participation in the industry.
The union also raised concerns about occupational safety and health, stating that despite the promotion of STOW as a benchmark for safety compliance, fatalities occurred at Paria Fuel Trading Company and Heritage Petroleum Company while STOW requirements were in place. The OWTU said these incidents demonstrated that certification alone does not guarantee worker safety.
The statement reiterated the union’s position that health and safety standards should be enforced through statutory regulation, active State oversight, and unionised workplaces where workers can monitor conditions on a daily basis.
The OWTU said the Government’s move to reassess the Energy Chamber and end STOW was necessary to address monopolistic practices and to place worker safety and fairness at the centre of the energy sector. The union said it remains committed to working with the Government on a framework focused on worker protection and national interest.
