T&T: ALNG workers strike against sub-minimum wages

Gimmi captain Antonio Ali said only four workers, comprising the captain, deckhand, engineer and cook, are sent to sea. The engineer earns $10.25 per hour, while the cook and deckhand earn $6, Ali said, adding workers are forced to work 24 hours per day.

"The captain has to do the work of a sailor, the cook is a janitor and there are safety risks on board for which we are not compensated," Ali said.

OWTU second vice-president Carlton Gibson said it was contemptible that ALNG was being sold for US$12 million a shipment and workers were being paid under the minimum wage.

The tug workers are employed with Plipwijs Contractors, which is a joint-venture partnership between Plipdeco and Danish firm Svitzer.

Plipwijs manager Andre Vera declined to comment on the matter and referred questions to Plipdeco.

Roget said while workers did not want to shutdown ALNG, they were unwilling to go back to work under the same conditions.

The OWTU is now requesting an immediate meeting with Plipwijs.

$12M U.S. per shipment of natural gas and that's all they're paying workers? Here's how much is being lost because of the strike:

A consignment of LNG, worth US$12 million, is shipped every 48 hours. Four ALNG tankers remain empty off the Point Fortin Jetty, resulting in a potential loss of US$48 million.