Post by ferryfast admin on May 2, 2012 12:31:29 GMT -5
Fast ferry caterers on edge
By JANELLE DE SOUZA Wednesday,
www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,159431.html
May 2 2012
CATERERS who work on the two inter-island fast ferries, T&T Spirit and T&T Express, are on edge as they demand the port authority clearly spell out their employment status following what they claim are moves to have them replaced by new workers.
A ferry steward, who wished to remain unidentified for fear of victimisation, told Newsday the workers were yesterday instructed to leave both vessels by port management with no information as to when they could return to work or what their new duties entail.
The steward is claiming that an entity known as Port Workers and Private Sector Manning Ltd, of which their union head Michael Annisette, president of the Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union (SWWTU) is a director, was awarded a contract to provide catering services on the two ferries and they want to know if Annisette’s company will bring in new staff and make them redundant.
According to the steward, last week Thursday, Marine Divisional Manager Hafiz Mohammed boarded one of the inter-island vessels and told the crew, “a deal was finalised” and, Annisette “taking over”. He said the staff would have to soon leave.
Catering staff on both vessels, numbering 26 workers, were told they would be split into two groups and relocated to the cargo vessel Warrior Spirit. But they are not satisfied with this as they have not been told what their new duties would entail. They also claim that the Warrior Spirit can only accommodate seven workers which would mean some of them may very well be out of work.
Efforts by Newsday yesterday to reach Leon Grant, the deputy CEO of the Port Authority, for comment proved futile. “We can’t go to our management because they are not giving us any answers and we can’t go to our union (the SWWTU) because the person who is supposed to be representing us, is the person who seems to want to push us out,” complained the steward.
However, Annisette told Newsday when port management decided to out-source the function of caterers, the SWWTU objected, but management went ahead. So, rather than allow a private company to get the job, the Port Workers and Private Sector Manning Ltd applied for and won the tender.
According to Annisette, port management wanted to retrench the catering staff and again the union objected. He said, at the time, most of the catering workers were temporary but the union insisted they be made permanent and reallocated instead of being fired.
He said the transfer of management oversight for the catering service was to be implemented a “long time ago” but Port Workers and Private Sector Manning Ltd held off until port management agreed to make the current catering staff workers permanent, which he said has occurred.
Annisette said that just last week he spoke with Grant requesting a meeting to finalise the issue and let workers know what was happening. They all agreed it was necessary but a date for the meeting was never confirmed.
By JANELLE DE SOUZA Wednesday,
www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,159431.html
May 2 2012
CATERERS who work on the two inter-island fast ferries, T&T Spirit and T&T Express, are on edge as they demand the port authority clearly spell out their employment status following what they claim are moves to have them replaced by new workers.
A ferry steward, who wished to remain unidentified for fear of victimisation, told Newsday the workers were yesterday instructed to leave both vessels by port management with no information as to when they could return to work or what their new duties entail.
The steward is claiming that an entity known as Port Workers and Private Sector Manning Ltd, of which their union head Michael Annisette, president of the Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union (SWWTU) is a director, was awarded a contract to provide catering services on the two ferries and they want to know if Annisette’s company will bring in new staff and make them redundant.
According to the steward, last week Thursday, Marine Divisional Manager Hafiz Mohammed boarded one of the inter-island vessels and told the crew, “a deal was finalised” and, Annisette “taking over”. He said the staff would have to soon leave.
Catering staff on both vessels, numbering 26 workers, were told they would be split into two groups and relocated to the cargo vessel Warrior Spirit. But they are not satisfied with this as they have not been told what their new duties would entail. They also claim that the Warrior Spirit can only accommodate seven workers which would mean some of them may very well be out of work.
Efforts by Newsday yesterday to reach Leon Grant, the deputy CEO of the Port Authority, for comment proved futile. “We can’t go to our management because they are not giving us any answers and we can’t go to our union (the SWWTU) because the person who is supposed to be representing us, is the person who seems to want to push us out,” complained the steward.
However, Annisette told Newsday when port management decided to out-source the function of caterers, the SWWTU objected, but management went ahead. So, rather than allow a private company to get the job, the Port Workers and Private Sector Manning Ltd applied for and won the tender.
According to Annisette, port management wanted to retrench the catering staff and again the union objected. He said, at the time, most of the catering workers were temporary but the union insisted they be made permanent and reallocated instead of being fired.
He said the transfer of management oversight for the catering service was to be implemented a “long time ago” but Port Workers and Private Sector Manning Ltd held off until port management agreed to make the current catering staff workers permanent, which he said has occurred.
Annisette said that just last week he spoke with Grant requesting a meeting to finalise the issue and let workers know what was happening. They all agreed it was necessary but a date for the meeting was never confirmed.