Five workers dismissed by the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc (BCGI) are claiming discrimination as a result of their protest against meals prepared in the roach-infested kitchen at the Aroaima work station, which was filled with spoilt and expired goods.
The employees were fired last Friday—four days after the company’s management investigated complaints by more than 50 workers and found their concerns legitimate. Management then fired the supervisor of the kitchen and gave the contractor in charge of the kitchen four days to improve the situation.
The five workers, Stabroek News understands, were dismissed despite assurances by management because they allegedly instigated employees not to work after the discovery of the state of the kitchen. However, the dismissed employees are disputing this and are contending that there are ulterior motives for them being fired, citing their close affiliation with the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) for their dismissals. Efforts to contact the management of the BCGI yesterday for comment were unsuccessful.
However, in a dismissal letter sent to one of the employees, which this newspaper managed to obtain, BCGI Deputy General Manager Ruslan Volokhov outlined the circumstances of the company’s decision. Volokhov said that “On November 8, 2010, residents at the camp protested against the quality of meals provided by the contractor. Manage-ment took immediate action to investigate the claim including a visit to the kitchen by management personnel and residents of the camp. A number of deficiencies were found and the team took a decision to give the contractor four days to rectify the situation.” Later in the afternoon, Volokhov said, “a demand was made for fresh (new) meals to be prepared under independent caterers; fresh meat and other ingredients were purchased and fresh meals were prepared. Notwithstanding all the arrangements put in place of which you had full knowledge, you instigated the workers not to work, resulting in production and financial loss to the company.” Manage-ment, the letter said, saw the action “as being inimical to the best interest of the company” and dismissed them with immediate effect.
The investigation conducted by the team comprising representatives of both management and employees revealed that storage conditions were very poor and there was evidence of cockroach infestation. According to a document indicating the findings of the team, the room did not comply with storage standards, since there was poor lighting and rotten vegetables were observed among the good vegetables. Expired items were also found among the storage. Food boxes, cups and other items were tossed carelessly on the floor and cockroaches and their droppings were seen on these items. The freezers were in poor condition and the refrigerator was unkempt. It was observed that cooked food was stored along with raw meat. The garbage bin was also uncovered and overflowing.
Dismissals
Marcia Allicock, who was formerly tasked with managing the kitchen, said the practice of spoilt materials being used to prepare meals for the employees had been going on for some time. Allicock said that while she was in charge of the kitchen she wrote several reports each month to the Head of the Catering Service indicating the poor quality of food being sent to prepare for the workers. This included “expired goods, contaminated meat and rotten vegetables,” she said. She said in May she objected to the quality of the raw materials being sent to be prepared for the men and she was subsequently dismissed from her position by the contractor.
Meanwhile, Marcel O’Donoghue and Lennox Daw, who were both handed dismissal letters last Friday, believe they were being punished because of their closeness to the GB&GWU. It was also pointed out that one of the fired employees is the second vice-president of the union.
O’Donoghue, one of the dismissed workers, told Stabroek News that the quality of food being prepared had been a cause of concern for some time now. He noted that recently some workers were complaining of belly pains. He explained that last Monday the workers received word that spoilt items were being transported to the canteen by the contractor from his supermarket. He said the health and safety officer, other officials in the company and some of the workers then formed a team and examined the kitchen and noted several faults. He said that the supervisor of the kitchen was dismissed and promises were made by management.
O’Donoghue said meals were not prepared until late that Monday evening and consequently the employees did not work. According to him, the last meal they would have received would have been at 4 pm on Sunday. No meals were prepared, O’Donoghue said, until 10:30 pm on Monday last. He said he did not work the evening shift as he was supposed to because he was having problems with gas and went to the Medical Centre for attention. He resumed working the following day.
He said Friday evening, when he was about to leave the worksite for the weekend, he was given his dismissal letter. He was given his leave allowance for next year and was told that he would have to go to court to secure any other benefits that he believed were entitled to him. The former employee said he wanted his safety bonus, because he had already worked for it.
Daw, who was also dismissed, related a similar account. Daw was among the employees who examined the state of the kitchen with the company’s management. He said that last Monday evening he was supposed to work the night shift but he did not because he was feeling unwell. He said that having not eaten for the day, he had wind pains and went to the medic for treatment. According to him, while his shift was supposed to begin at 5 pm, the meal arrived at 10:30 pm. He said he too was given a dismissal letter on Friday evening and was given his leave allowance. He was told that he would have to challenge the company in court for any additional benefits he wanted.
General Secretary of the Guyana Trade Union’s Congress (GTUC) Lincoln Lewis said the fired workers have raised the issue with the union. He said letters have been dispatched to the Ministry of Labour and the company.
The BCGI and the GB&GWU are currently in conciliation talks with the Chief Labour Officer over a dispute last year which saw 57 employees being dismissed after the union engaged in strike action for increased wages.
