Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales says police are investigating an incident outside his house last year when workers from the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission led by their union the OWTU staged a protest.
While the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) believes it applied pressure on the Minister when its members protested outside his Arima home last November, he said the demonstration traumatised his children.
Breaking his silence on the protest, Gonzales revealed that he filed a report with the police. However, he declined to comment further, stating that the matter was now in the hands of law enforcement.
On 8 November 2024, OWTU President General Ancel Roget, along with other union officials, led T&TEC workers to one of Gonzales’ properties.
The demonstration came two weeks after the OWTU led T&TEC workers in a nationwide morning protest over health and safety concerns, as well as manpower shortages at the commission.
"Can you recall, a couple of months ago, that the OWTU showed up in a private community in East Trinidad with over 100 workers, traumatising a community, including my family?" Gonzales asked.
"I am concerned about the union showing up at people's homes and traumatising their children. Are you all concerned about me and that? I think I should also make a report to OSHA because my kids are traumatised. How come you all do not ask me about these things?" Gonzales said when asked about the OWTU’s concerns regarding T&TEC. He stressed he would not respond to anything related to the union.
In response, OWTU's Chief Education Officer Ozzi Warwick said the union has upheld a Butlerite tradition for the past 87 years (where union members and workers were not afraid to protest outside an employer's house) and will continue to do so. However, he questioned Gonzales on the trauma faced by T&TEC workers, who, he said, had been offered a “0-0-0” salary increase and were still unable to settle their negotiations.
"What about the trauma of job insecurity for T&TEC workers and their families as T&TEC continues to abuse the contract system? What about the trauma of T&TEC workers when the commission refuses to address health and safety issues or sit down with the recognised majority union to resolve numerous industrial relations concerns? What about the fact that these workers risk their lives every single day to ensure that all of us, including him, receive a reliable supply of electricity, yet they are not fairly or justly compensated?" Warwick said.
He further stated that workers were traumatised by being forced to work overtime with no regard for their health and well-being. Warwick claimed the Government had inflicted economic hardship on citizens.
"These politicians live a life of privilege, feeling untouchable as they impose hardship on workers— in this case, T&TEC workers— and yet he wants to talk about trauma from a peaceful picket? No, uh-uh!"
