Claxton Bay: As the strike at Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL) enters its tenth day today, the company has written to Labour Minister Errol Mc Leod asking him to chair conciliation talks between and the Oilfields Workers Trade Union (OWTU).
This move follows the Ministry's explanation to the media on the protocol for the minister’s intervention or referral of the matter to the Industrial Court.
TCL’s Human Resource Manager, Keith Johnson tells the minister that in the event that agreement is not forthcoming from the proposed talks, it is willing to join cause with the union to jointly request that the minister refers the dispute to the Industrial Court.
The company is awaiting the minister’s response.
On Tuesday angry workers burnt letters from the company's management which indicated that the company was willing to forgive them for the strike and telling them it was okay to use the strike days as vacation.
The union is warning the company not to engage in cheap tricks.
Meanwhile, the first shipment out of TCL’s Barbados subsidiary, Arawak Cement Company Limited arrived as scheduled in Tobago yesterday,it 850 metric tonnes of cement for the domestic market.
Some 270 metric tonnes were left for the Tobago market and the balance of 580 metric tonnes will arrive in Trinidad tomorrow.
Another shipment is due to arrive on Friday.
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