About 150 PowerGen workers are expected to receive outstanding wage payments by December 15 following a TT$66.1 million agreement with the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union, according to Caribbean Today. The settlement ends nine and a half years of unresolved wage negotiations. Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath announced the agreement in Parliament, saying it covers the 2016–2017 and 2018–2020 bargaining periods. He said the settlement provides for a cumulative wage increase of nine per cent over five years. The increases are structured at 0.5 per cent, three per cent, one per cent, 1.5 per cent and three per cent. Approximately 150 eligible employees are scheduled to receive their outstanding payments before Christmas, the report said. Padarath attributed the agreement to intensive discussions between PowerGen and the union. He welcomed its resolution through direct negotiations rather than an Industrial Court ruling and commended management, staff and union representatives for negotiating in good faith. The minister also said the agreement could provide momentum for addressing separate compensation matters affecting another 87 employees. Those matters involve 26 employees represented by the Senior Staff Association and 61 professional staff members. His remarks did not announce settlements for those groups. PowerGen supplies bulk electricity to Trinidad and Tobago’s national grid, with major generating facilities including Point Lisas and Penal. The company was established in 1994 following the partial divestment of the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission’s generation assets. For workers covered by the agreement, December 15 is the expected payment deadline identified in the report. The compensation matters involving the other employee groups remain a separate issue.
