Work to resume at power plant

Carolyn Kissoon South Bureau
Sunday, September 27th 2009

Construction of the Trinidad Generation Unlimited (TGU) power plant at Union Industrial Estate, La Brea, is expected to resume tomorrow, as several workers have signed new contracts handed out by the site's main civil engineering contractor, E Pihl and Sons.

But the workers who refused to accept the new terms and conditions would return to the site, as they attempt to secure a meeting with management.

Roland Noble, a rigger, said: "I understand that the company has hired a scab labour force. I do not know how many people signed the contract, but I know that the majority are not satisfied. The few that are starting work on Monday have not undergone drug tests and before you go on any construction site a drug test is mandatory." Noble said the fired workers were seeking legal action. "We did nothing wrong, we were not satisfied with what was going on so we tried to talk to our employers and they responded by locking us out," he said. Last week, the 300-plus workers received termination letters through the mail. Three weeks ago, workers began sickout action on the construction site to highlight health and safety issues and three Fridays ago they were locked out by management, causing construction at the plant to cease. Workers complained that their employers had refused to respond to their cries for improved working conditions. Source: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161537265