In a surprise move yesterday morning, most of the linesmen attached to the Linden Electricity Company Incorporated downed tools to press demands for a salary increase.
LECI management was caught totally off guard as there had been no ultimatum or prior notice from the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers’ Union (GB&GWU), although union leaders said they were in support of the workers’ action. However, about three linesmen who were still on the job said they felt they could not strike, although they support the cause, as there had been no prior notice.
The approximately 20 workers who took industrial action said they would continue it today while they await word from their union and the Linmine Secretariat. These workers told Stabroek News that on several occasions they had approached management for an increase in salary, but their requests were denied. They said management had given them a 5% across-the-board increase in January, which fell far short of what they were asking for.
“We are the lowest paid linesmen in the world – not just Linden or Guyana – the world and this is not good at all,” one of them said. Others agreed, adding that they were often told that the management’s hands were tied.
“Our concern is about more money, we doing all the work from the bottom to the top where lines work is concern and we ain’t getting no pay for it and they promising us every time that they gon give we this and they gon give we da and still we ain’t getting nothing,” another worker added.
The workers carried placards which read: “They hand tie so they tie we hand too”; “No money no work”; “I am not Linden so I should not bear the burden for Linden”; “We need $100,000 a month or more”; “We are your right hand so make us right”. They demonstrated outside the LECI office in the Linmine compound.
Asked if the protest action resulted from a breakdown in negotiation, immediate past president of the GB&GWU Charles Sampson said workers have a right to spontaneous decision making as it relates to coming off on strike.
He said the union was in support of the workers’ action. “LEI should have been in a position to pay these workers more money,” he said. “These workers have genuine grievances and if they take certain actions they would have enough to pay everybody.”
Chief Executive Officer of Linmine Horace James under whose office LECI falls said he was caught by surprise yesterday morning when he was told that the linesmen were off the job. According to James, he was informed by a senior supervisor that workers were refusing to proceed on their usual duties when instructed to do so. “The supervisor said that when he told one of the workers to start doing his duties he was told that the worker was awaiting word from his union representative and the next thing they were off the job with placards,” James said.
At the time he spoke with this newspaper around midday yesterday he had not received any word or correspondence from the union indicating the reason for the action or requesting an audience. However some time yesterday afternoon, James said, he received a letter, which stated, “that the union was in support of the workers’ action and that they are willing to meet with the management.”
Both LECI’s management and the union said they hoped common ground could be met today and that the workers could resume work. LECI is responsible for the distribution and maintenance of electricity network at Mackenzie. It also sells electricity to the Linden Utility Services Co-op Society Limited which is responsible for distribution at Wismar.
