Management says port back to normal operations

The Port of Port-of-Spain says all major operations are proceeding as usual despite recent labour issues.

In a statement issued yesterday, PPOS management assured the public and business people that key areas such as container vessel and terminal operations, West Gate’s receipt and delivery services, and the One Stop Barrel Shop at Shed 10 are fully functional. It said Spectrum Operations and Shed 4 are also operating normally.

According to the statement, port management is closely monitoring the situation.

On October 3, port operations were disrupted, with the port running at “limited capacity” after workers staged a walkout over unresolved issues. The industrial action was primarily driven by concerns regarding health and safety conditions and the prolonged delays in wage negotiations. Workers gathered at the Seamen and Waterfront Workers’ Trade Union (SWWTU) headquarters on Wrightson Road to voice their grievances.

SWWTU president Michael Annisette highlighted the significant financial impact of the walkout, estimating that over 80 per cent of the port’s revenue was at risk due to the disruption.

In response, the PPOS said it had utilised the services of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force to assist with operations. However, the SWWTU expressed concern over the Government’s decision to deploy army personnel. Annisette said the use of the military undermined workers’ rights and did not address the root issues of the strike.

Earlier this year, 1,000 workers also walked off the job, giving port management seven days to address health and safety issues and agree to a 12 per cent wage increase.

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