Days after ArcelorMittal laid off a reported 600 of its workers and Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus called on companies to only send home workers as a last option, one of the steel company’s service providers, Tube City IMS Limited, has parted ways with 40 employees.
Amidst this development, the Steel Workers Union of T&T, which represents the workers, is also bracing for similar action at another steel company, Centrin.
The union and Centrin held an emergency meeting yesterday but at the end of it the union’s chief labour relations officer, Timothy Bailey, said it was his understanding that the Centrin workers’ jobs were safe for now.
However, union general secretary Ramkumar Narinesingh said he was worried about the ripple effect the ArcellorMittal layoffs would have on other smaller companies. Focusing on the insensitivity of Point Lisas-based Tube City, Bailey said the 40-odd workers were sent home without a definite period being identified.
“They have been sent home with their hands swinging. The workers have not gone home with any relief funds whatsoever, even though we are in the Christmas season so they are ten times worse than Mittal,” Bailey said.
Tube City IMS (Trinidad) Limited (TCIMS) is a leading provider of onsite industrial mill services for steel makers worldwide. It is an international company which served as a contractor to ArcelorMittal.
Citing a reduced demand for steel products internationally and the expiration of its contract with ArcellorMittal earlier this year, Tube City sent home approximately 157 workers, the majority being women. Bailey said the 157 in March/April and the 40 odd workers yesterday now means, “the entire workforce has been wiped out.”
In a release issued yesterday, union president Christopher Henry confirmed the layoffs and absence of communication between Tube City and the union. He again called on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Baptiste-Primus, a former trade union leader, to intervene in this matter. A news conference has been planned for this morning at the union’s California office.