torsdag 22. desember 2016
With the loss of its catering contract, the General Manager of Trinity Nordic has pulled the plug of communication with the employees as well. The local club is frustrated that it can’t get a hold of General Manager Nils Olsen, who has probably made other arrangements for his own future work without announcing it.
– The crew on board on the rig understand the economic climate, but are left in the dark and isolated from their company. Most have worked for Trinity on Stena Don for 15 years and this year’s approach of being sidelined leaves them feeling empty, says local club leader Rosanna Ward.
The absence of communication is making a difficult situation even worse. The company has refused to meet in several requests for monthly meetings. The last proper monthly meeting between the local club and Olsen was held back in August. Olsen is new in his role as general manager, being employed in May 2016. The dialogue with Olsen has been challenging.
–The manager arrived four hours late and refused to talk unless no ongoing cases remained on the agenda at the meeting in August. He actually walked out of the meeting when we said we had to keep with the agenda. Targeted exclusion of employees has taken place since February. There have been three “monthly meetings” this year, says Ward.
– Communication is vital between both parties at any time, more so when there is mass dismissals ongoing, for the company to be refusing to meet the local club with basic avoidance and delaying tactics.The local club is only trying to gain as much up to date information for their members and the companies employees, which is badly needed when all are at threat of losing jobs, says National officer at Industri Energi, Fraser Knox.
Concerned with the uncertainty
Trinity Nordic is a subsiduary of Aberdeen based Trinity International.The main office of Trinity Nordic is in Grimstad in Norway. Since May 2016, Nils Olsen has been employed there as the General Manager.
The current contract runs out 31st of December. With possible options to extend, but the company is telling their staff nothing other than that all are dismissed. The loss of contract was announced in the end of October. Since then the company has refused meeting the local club.
Trinity has prior experience with the loss of a contract in 2010. That time it was handled properly.
– We had a similar situation in 2010 of a contract loss, but the process and treatment in that period was carried out correctly. We’ve been here before but this leaves a bitter taste in people’s mouths. Whether it’s a planned approach by management or incompetence at work here, the result is the same. The still don’t know if the company is continuing on the rig for New Years’ day, says Ward.
There current rig Stena Don has went into the yard under warm stack. They know that Stena have requested a crew of three catering crew for the yard. Yet none of them know or have heard from Trinity if there dismissals will be retracted. – I am concerned about my colleagues who say they feel anxious because they have had so little information. Employee/management contract was at an all time low until dismissals were on the cards and there’s been very little since. Without discussion Trinity have this week picked out people (without seniority) to remain on the rig whilst it’s in dock – waving two fingers at laws and union agreements, says Ward.
Did the General Manager quit already?
Nils Olsen was seen by Industri Energi club leaders still working at his previous job for Color Line in November. This was a crucial time when the company could have been securing our contracts.
– Olsen will neither deny or confirm when confronted, but it certainly would appear to be correct as it seems the management has already left the building, whilst the employees are still at work under notice, with the club struggling to get confirmed responses with regards any information, says Knox.
– We believe that the person with the overall responsibility for the company in Norway is regularly completely unavailable. Other Trinity employees end up making excuses but it’s obvious that the work isn’t getting done. Union and the crew ring the manager and email, more often than not with no response, says Ward.
Moreover, expectations set down by Petroleumstilsynet (Ptil) have been ignored by the company, despite their and WEC-representatives requests.
–Threats of disciplinary action have gone hand in hand with lack of information and total lack of organization under new management, says Ward.
