Unions respond to Arawak Cement restructuring

A massive retrenchment is on the cards for the St. Lucy-based Arawak Cement Company Limited.

Its parent company, Trinidad Cement Ltd. (TCL) has announced that Arawak is reducing its workforce by 70%, which means over 120 employees will soon be on the breadline.

The company says this follows retrenchment talks with the workers’ representatives, the Barbados Workers Union and the National Union of Public Workers.

The parent company also stated that in accordance with the union consultations, the workforce will be adjusted and approximately 30% of the current employees retained in the new operating model.

Both trade unions representing the workers have responded to the development.

BWU General Secretary Toni Moore stressed that this development is very disturbing for the Union, as it affects not only the workers but their wider families as well.

She says this has been a difficult process.

Meanwhile, General Secretary of the NUPW Richard Green says most of their members accepted voluntary separation packages.

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