(Trinidad Express) The ongoing strike at Trinidad Cement Ltd (TCL) has already begun affected hardware dealers, with many complaining of a limited supply.
Joseph Callender, president of the Hardware Dealers Co-operative Society, said yesterday hardware owners were pleading for the industrial dispute between the TCL Group and Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) to be resolved in quick time.
“Cement is not something you can panic buy. It is perishable and cannot be stored for a long time. And you cannot buy cement if you have nothing to do,” he said.
Callender said cement at several hardware stores were sold out, while others had a dwindling supply. He said 60 per cent of the Society’s 300 members were without a supply of cement yesterday.
“And dealers said trucks were being turned away when they go to load at the Claxton Bay facility. This strike is very unfortunate and needs to be resolved as soon as possible,” he said.
Callender appealed to TCL to put measures in place to ensure customers were not severely affected during the strike.
“They have factories in Barbados and Jamaica. I hope the company starts to import cement from these factories if the strike is prolonged,” he said.
Checks with several hardware dealers in South and Central Trinidad confirmed a diminishing cement stock.
