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  • 1 year ago
Dockers at the Port of Port of Spain have been ordered to return to work by the Industrial Court.


This comes as the Port Authority obtained an injunction it filed for on Tuesday, in what was a "today for today" hearing. However, the Port Authority says, it's a route it initially didn't want to take.


Alicia Boucher has more in this report.
Transcript
00:00The hearing began at 1.30 p.m. on Tuesday at the Industrial Court at the end of
00:05which the injunction was obtained by the Port Authority. It requires port workers
00:10to return to work immediately following what has been weeks of ongoing but
00:15intermittent industrial action where employees repeatedly failed to show up
00:20for work. The PITT says that this has caused serious disruptions to shipping
00:24schedules, impacted port operations and hindered the timely delivery of goods
00:30and services to key local and regional stakeholders. The authority notes that a
00:35Christmas season which it calls a critical period is approaching and as
00:39such says the situation as it was posed a significant threat to businesses.
00:45Operations at a port of Port of Spain is said to account for 59% of the
00:51country's overall container volumes. PITT Chairman Lyle Alexander says quote
00:56we never wanted to take this action but we felt we had no choice. The workers
01:01have taken steps that threaten the port's operations and are affecting
01:05livelihoods. We have a duty to protect the interests of our stakeholders and
01:10the country end quote. The port states that the situation is unsustainable and
01:16detrimental to not only national but also regional interests. As it gives a
01:22commitment to take efforts to mitigate the impact the situation has caused, the
01:27PITT says it remains committed to dialogue to resolve the wage
01:30negotiation impasse and restore normalcy at the port. Fresh out of the courthouse
01:36President of the Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union Michael Anasset
01:40addressed the media. It's rather unfortunate that the port authority
01:48choose to go this route rather than meeting and treating with the union with
01:54the myriad of issues that are affecting the dock workers. But like every other
02:01thing the Seamen and Waterfront workers will respect the court judgment. At a
02:06time of the interview Anasset had not yet received the written order which he
02:10stated would outline the terms with more clarity. The SWWT has been given a
02:16date of December 6th to put forward its arguments. Because we haven't been given
02:21an opportunity obviously because the office was served only today at 946 and
02:30I only got winded of the information after 11 because I was involved in a
02:38meeting. Anasset maintains that the PITT has failed to engage in meaningful
02:42discussions which according to him will benefit the port and the country. And we
02:47will continue to advocate for a better port for Trinidad and Tobago, a more
02:52efficient port and we do believe that the frame of agreement was done in that
02:58spirit and therefore the whole better sense will prevail and the agreement
03:05and the principle of the agreement is allowed to be operationalized.
03:10Alicia Boucher TV6 News
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