Luke Bachan, 49, who has worked at ArcelorMittal as a machinist for the past 17 years, is yet to receive one cent in severance benefits after he was retrenched last March. With three children, ages 15, 12 and nine, to support he now makes money driving a taxi.
With the company closing down and some 644 workers sent home, Bachan said life had since been a struggle to make ends meet.
He said he made close to $250 a day driving taxi and sometimes did odd jobs as a machinist but the latter grossly underpays.
“When I was in ArcelorMittal I got between $75 to $80 to an hour as a machinist but on the outside I make around $50 to $60 an hour. I make more driving taxi but taxi work is also hard,” Bachan said.
However, he said he was grateful his wife was employed as her income helped pay the bills.
And with the Christmas season fast approaching he said it was shaping up to be a grim one for his family.
“It is not shaping up at all. If you come by me I could only afford to offer you some Orchard Sorrel,” Bachan said.
A resident of Chaguanas, Bachan was among a handful of workers who attended a press conference by the Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union (SWWTU) in Port- of -Spain yesterday.
The union’s chief labour relations officer, Timothy Bailey, said the union had submitted a proposal to Government, including Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, some three months ago outlining a detailed plan not only to save the company but to ensure that workers were also re-employed at ArcelorMittal.
But to date no response was given from the PM.
The union did not reveal details of the plan to the members of the media citing confidentiality but in a nutshell said there were two foreign investors who were willing to purchase ArcelorMittal. Their names were also not revealed.
Bailey said the 33-page document also outlined plans for nationals and workers to have shares in the company.
He said there were concerns raised by workers that ArcelorMittal would try to “rebuy the company through the back door.”
Saying the plans entailed the transformation of a state-of-the art steel sector, Bailey said it also comprised a proposal for diversification
Urging Government to have an open mind Bailey said: “Hear our cries Prime Minister. The situation is getting worse as with each passing day as workers who are on the breadline are still struggling.”
He admitted that while steel prices have plummeted earlier this year he said recently there has been an increase, giving hope that the steel market was still viable.
A copy of the proposal was also sent to the Labour Ministry following which Bailey said a response was given by Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus.
“The minister asked us why we sent a copy of the proposal to the Prime minister. She seems uninformed about what is going on,” Bailey charged.
Ashed if he thought the Government had not responded to the proposal because it believed that the proposed investors were not of good standing, Bailey was adamant that was not the case and insisted they were thoroughly checked.
Contacted yesterday, an official from the Labour Ministry said the proposal was in fact received and was being looked at.