By month’s end, some 30 employees of the National Gas Company (NGC) will no longer have jobs as their contracts are not being renewed by the company.
The group, who were called in to meet with NGC officials yesterday in one-on-one meetings, gathered yesterday in Point Lisas after being given the news.
The T&T Guardian understands that the contract periods of these employees were reduced from six months to three months last December and the company began sending home employees by the ‘handful’ since then.
A spokesperson who asked not to be identified told the T&T Guardian the employees are disappointed in the company. “We feel betrayed by our management because we have worked hard to reduce costs, in order to keep the company and the country in a good economic standing for the past years,” the worker said.
“NGC is still making a profit and there are many areas where we can increase profit.” The workers will be sent home from the pipeline services department, support services and administrative staff as an Offshore Field office has been closed.
The spokesperson said the cut is not necessary as the company is still hiring high level employees.
“This move is not needed because NGC is still hiring high level employees while the technical staff pays for the state of the economy. The technical staff are fed up of being treated like dogs while upper management account for the bulk of monies paid in salary.”
Another employee who said he has been working at the company for over three years as a technician said he does not know how he will find work now.
“There are so many people out there who are looking for jobs, I don’t know how I am going to afford to pay my loan now,” he lamented.
The T&T Guardian tried contacting NGC’s Communications Manager Lisa Burkett via phone and email but no response was forthcoming.
A text message was sent to the cellphone of NGC chairman Gerry Brooks but there also no response.