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  • 1 year ago
Port workers in Tobago embarked on protest action today, citing health and safety concerns. Representatives of the Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union spoke with TV6 News outside the Scarborough port on Monday. Elizabeth Williams has the story.
Transcript
00:00These workers and them reach a point where they are fed up, right?
00:06They have several dogs, right?
00:08Health and safety issues that the management and them refuse to address, right?
00:12We are asking for the line ministers and them to come and address the situation.
00:17The water situation, health and safety, the roof leaking, right?
00:23And all they want to do is just work, work, work, work, work, work.
00:27Mr. Tom said dogs and fowls have invaded the compound of the Scarborough Port
00:32and there are a number of health and safety concerns to the workers.
00:57You can't even get a raincoat.
00:58Look at the equipment that are everywhere.
01:01Look at me, look, look, look. I can't even have proper pants.
01:08Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union shop steward Felton Cox
01:14said there are also concerns about the warehouse on the port
01:17in addition to the emergency bell on the compound not functioning.
01:22There is also issue of the warehouse where that consignees and all has been
01:27boiling for the heat in the warehouse because there is no proper ventilation, right?
01:31They also have the air condition system in the warehouse that is pushing a lot of heat.
01:36There is also issues in the yard.
01:38The yard is not being cleaned or washed down on a daily basis, right?
01:42So that is hence the animals, which is the animal feces,
01:46you have to work in that environment, right?
01:49There is also issue on the carburettor where the carburettor is not being cleaned properly, right?
01:55And workers still have to think.
01:56Trucks have been parked close, right?
01:59We speak about all these issues and we take up with the management.
02:02There is also issues of the emergency bell in the call-on centre,
02:06which has not been addressed as yet.
02:08If something happens on the compound, no worker can get in time to get off the compound
02:13if there is a bomb scare or anything.
02:15Mr. Tom said workers do not want empty promises from management anymore.
02:20What we are asking for is just for the management and the ministers and them
02:25to meet with the union to be able to address this situation here.
02:28And we don't want that they meet with us to give us a comfort.
02:32We want to see action take place, right?
02:36That the workers and them could feel comfortable and safe to be able to work in this compound here.
02:42When TV6 contacted the chairman of the Trinidad and Tobago Port Authority, Lye Alexander,
02:47he told us that there is a correlation to the protest action in Trinidad by port workers
02:53to the one taking place in Tobago.
02:56There is a relationship between what is taking place in Trinidad and what is taking place in Tobago.
03:01So the same reasons that they use for their actions in Trinidad
03:05more than likely will be mirrored in Tobago.
03:09What they are saying now is exactly what has been said among the workers in Trinidad.
03:17Are you aware of any health and safety concerns as I brought it to your attention?
03:21You are aware of this?
03:23Well, other than the reports or the excuses that they are using for their actions,
03:31I am not aware that the discussions that they would have had with the management included
03:40or there were any outstanding issues coming out of that.
03:43Let me put it that way.
03:45The issue of health and safety issues are issues that would come up from time to time.
03:50They bring to the attention of management and management would deal with it.
03:54The issues that they are claiming now, I am not aware that those are outstanding issues.
04:01Elizabeth Williams, TV6 News.
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