The decision by the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) to serve strike notice on the Petroleum Company of Trinidad and Tobago (Petrotrin) has lanced a boil which has been growing and festering for many years in our country. And the puss is oozing out for all to see.

• Many organisations/spokespersons representing the business class have attacked the OWTU “with full force” accusing the Union of being “bullies, reckless and irresponsible”. These very representatives of the business class have been silent about the fact that the Union has been patient for the past six years as the collective agreements for the 2011-14 period expired and went through the entire process set out in the Industrial Relations Act of bilateral meetings, conciliation at the Ministry of Labour and are now before the Industrial Court. In those six years Petrotrin persisted in its 0,0,0 wage position. Now a second three-year period is about to expire and for 2014-17 its wage position is again 0,0,0. There is not a single comment by the representatives of the business class as to the absolute inflexibility of Petrotrin which has made 0% its only offer over six years.

• Some persons have accused the Union of “holding the country to ransom”. The fact is that the Union has opted to exercise its right, enshrined in the law, to effect strike action. Workers have the right to strike. The exercise of that right cannot be “holding the country to ransom”. Some persons are now calling for the law to be amended to remove the right of workers to take strike action. For them, workers must have no rights. However, when employers flout the laws – the Minimum Wages Act; the Maternity Protection Act; the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act; the Occupational Safety and Health Act – as they do every day in this country there is no call from these representatives of the business class for any punitive action to be taken. There are no descriptions of these unscrupulous business persons as being “irresponsible or reckless”; no action sanctions against them by the Chambers of Commerce or the Employers Consultative Association.

• When prices are increased in an arbitrary manner – as happened when the VAT system was changed a year ago the unscrupulous businesses were not accused of “holding consumers to ransom” or of “being bullies”. But when a trade union seeks an increase in wages for its members via legal strike action it is “holding the country to ransom”.

• Where were all those who are now attacking the OWTU, when it took the fight to successive Governments (Manning, Persad-Bissessar) and the respective Boards and managements of Petrotrin on the bad decisions and corrupt practices at the company; such as - the refinery upgrade which resulted in the company’s huge debts today and falling crude production; the Soldado investment where $$ millions disappeared into private bank accounts; the failure to invest in maintaining physical assets such as pipelines leading to environmental disasters. The OWTU spoke to these issues, attempting to defend the national interest and save Petrotrin from destruction. One Board during the UNC period even sued the Union’s President General for raising such issues. The business organizations were silent then yet today they accuse the Union of taking action against the national interest.

• Nobody is publicly acknowledging the OWTU’s stated position – which has been directly communicated to the Board and Management of Petrotrin; the Prime Minister and Ministers of Energy and Labour – that it is ready and willing to dialogue on the re-structuring of Petrotrin as well as strategies to increase oil production and improve efficiencies. In fact, discussions have already commenced at Board and Management level as well as with the Minister of Energy. Far from wanting to see Petrotrin destroyed the Union would like it to be saved.

• A former Chairman of Petrotrin and a former Minister of Energy are attacking the OWTU yet when they were in charge they refused to settle the negotiations for the 2011-2014 period. Oil prices at that time were above $100 per barrel, yet they offered 0,0,0. At the same time salary increases, bonuses and pension benefit improvements were being paid – without the requisite approvals – to executive managers of Petrotrin. And on top of that under their “leadership” Petrotrin’s woes increased, yet they are today “holier than thou”

• The current Minister of Finance said this during his Budget Speech in the House of Representatives on September 30th, 2016 – three months ago. “The previous administration had boasted of settling all the wage negotiations outstanding since 2011. However, in reality, they left unresolved several key negotiations with several trade unions including, in particular, one major trade union, the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union. They decided to leave those 11 settlements for us. So now we have to deal with the 2011—2014 wage settlements for T&TEC, Petrotrin, Trinmar, NP, UWI and UTT - they left these wage negotiations for us to settle. ...And it is curious that the trade union representing T&TEC, Petrotrin, Trinmar, NP, UWI and UTT—all of them—the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union.” So, the Government cannot today say they did not make a commitment to settle the 2011-14 agreements and “settlement” cannot be 0,0,0! Why then has the Government not sought to ensure that at the very least the 2011-14 period is settled? The Union has waited for 15 months on the PNM government to settle these negotiations. Is this not being patient?

• When the UNC government attempted to impose a 5% wage cap on all collective agreements the then Opposition cried foul – saying that the UNC was violating the process of free collective bargaining, which was true. Today that Opposition is now in Government and is imposing a six- year wage freeze (0,0,0,0,0,0) on Petrotrin workers.

• Petrotrin contributed more than $12 billion in tax revenue to Trinidad and Tobago between 2010/11 and 2014, which revenues benefitted all citizens – from those who are school children to businesses who got contracts to supply goods and services which could have only been paid for by the tax revenues contributed by Petrotrin. That tax revenue and the foreign exchange earned by the oil industry would not have been possible without the Petrotrin workers. They need to be treated fairly.

It is abundantly clear to the MSJ that this issue demonstrates how divided Trinidad and Tobago truly is. The puss of antagonism by the representatives of the business class and other spokespersons to labour is oozing all over the place.

The failure of successive political leaderships to effect a proper tri-partite process means that instead of a serious effort to arrive at agreement at how the burden of adjustment should be shared, those in control of the economy want all of that burden to fall on the backs of workers (wage freeze, loss of jobs, rising prices). This puss has only just started to ooze. Unless there is fairness, equity and a serious effort to stop injustice and discrimination, as the economic situation deteriorates the full size of this boil will become evident as poverty and income inequality worsen. The social implications of not healing this wound of injustice will be huge.

The puss of our failure to transform the governance structures at state enterprises – preferring instead that jobs go to the boys and girls in whichever party is in office – is also oozing out at Petrotrin, as it is at Caribbean Airlines and in many other areas.

What is now required is fair, just and transformational leadership in Trinidad and Tobago. This Petrotrin impasse can be resolved before strike action starts in 96 hours. The MSJ is fully aware that the Government – at the highest level – has for months been appraised of what is required to resolve the issue. We will soon see if they have the political will to do so.