The party, during a press conference held yesterday, called for the “immediate and unconditional reinstatement of the Labour Agreement and of all workers previously employed, without victimisation, discriminatory or vindictive motives being used to decide who works and who does not.” It also urged that the union be recognised.
According to the party, it has asked RUSAL by way of a letter, dated November 30, “to appreciate the hardship that its decision creates, and to resume operations by recognising the CLA by this weekend or early next week at the latest.” Leader of the AFC Raphael Trotman said that his party has “every reason to believe that the request will be honoured.”
However, the party said that it has been reliably informed that the administration, instead of taking the side of the workers, is “surreptitiously” arranging for the GB&GWU to be replaced as the representative union on the workers at Aroaima. The device to be used for this is apparently a contrived poll to be done for Union recognition.
The party urged “RUSAL not to be a party to this dishonesty” and also encouraged the GB&GWU and the workers “to hold firm and fast to their principles.” The party also urged the Ministry of Labour, “not to interfere or allow its agencies to be used for illegal and improper purposes.” Within this context, the AFC urged RUSAL to cease any arrangements which the company may have commenced with the Ministry to conduct a poll to determine if the Union is still recognised. Trotman said that party has no problems with new unions being introduced but stressed that this must not be part of a surreptitious arrangement by the government.
According to the party, “the recent impasse between RUSAL and workers is a violation of two fundamental motivating principles that underpins national development and cohesion.” “It is ironic that the PPP government – which claims it is the working class party – has chosen to side with a corporation, which has not been kind to our workers and the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union,” the AFC said. “We are of the view that all avenues have not been exhausted that can bring about immediate improvements in the welfare of workers,” the party stated. The AFC opined that RUSAL has not pursued the kind of capital investments the bauxite needs to enhance productivity.
Earlier this week, General Manager of the Company Sergey Kostyuk, in a letter to the President of the bauxite union Charles Sampson indicated the company’s termination of the Collective Labour Agreement and disclosed its intention to move to have the union “derecognised.”
However, the striking workers of the bauxite company yesterday continued their industrial action with protests in Linden yesterday.
