(Trinidad Express) Transport and Industrial Workers Union (TIWU) president Roland Sutherland yesterday criticised conglomerate Ansa McAl for violating the Industrial Relations Act which left over 100 workers on the bread line. One hundred and six employees of Sissons Paints were immediately retrenched last Friday when the company was absorbed under Ansa Coatings Ltd.
Sutherland said the company gave the workers less than a day’s notice that they were being retrenched. He said it was not in keeping with proper industrial relations practice as even the representing union was unaware of the action.
“We have made reports to both the Industrial Court and to the Minister of Labour. But more than that we have spoken to the leaders of the joint trade union movement and they are behind us,” Sutherland said.
He said the workers were now going through “mental torment” because of the suddenness of the retrenchment.
“We have to go to the drawing board and speak about this type of retrenchment,” Sutherland said adding that if there were any discrepancies with the severance packages the workers had no one to turn to. Sutherland said the union had to write to the company asking about the merger and questioned whether workers would be affected as the company did not inform the union of any such move.
He said ten days before the retrenchment notice, the company said no such move was afoot but workers knew they were already moving supplies off the shelves.
“The company went on to state that if they were making such a move the workers would have nothing to fear, ” he said.
“No company is above the law and the workers are willing to go the distance with this matter,” he said.
“This is a declaration of war,” he said.
But Edward Kacal, Ansa Coating’s managing director yesterday explained that in order to remain competitive internationally, the company had to be “reorganised”.
He said contrary to what TIWU said, Ansa Coating has adhered to Industrial Relations law. He admitted that there may be discrepancies with the severance packages and said the workers knew they could contact the same human resource people with whom they have always dealt.
“We have not abandoned the workers,” he said in a brief telephone interview yesterday.
