Believing that the new PPP/C-led government will not fully represent their interests in their longstanding dispute with the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc (BCGI) over wages and salaries and working conditions, former employees of the Russian-owned firm have ended their protest and removed a barrier placed across the Berbice River.
General Secretary of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) Lincoln Lewis told Sunday Stabroek that given the experience with past PPP/C-led administrations during 2009 to 2015, the sacked workers felt they should bring their industrial action to an end.
The former workers ended their riverfront struggle some two weeks ago.
Since being abruptly sacked in January, they had blocked the Berbice River to protest the BCGI. The blockading of the river prevented BCGI, a subsidiary to Russian Aluminum (RUSAL), from transporting bauxite to its shipping dock in New Amsterdam.
Yesterday Lewis explained that despite the position former workers have taken, the union is prepared to press for workers’ rights to be respected.
“We are going to be pursuing this issue on principle. Since 2009 to date we have been in this situation, where the company decided to not respect Article 23 (1) of the Trade Union Recognition Act in any good faith,” Lewis said.
He lamented as a result of the company’s carefree approach, there could not have been any decent negotiations or talks to better working conditions or to increase wages and salaries.
Nonetheless, Lewis said that he is looking forward to a meeting with new Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton and the BCGI’s management. This meeting is schedule for some time this week. He said he is looking forward to the minister keeping his commitment and meeting with the union as it seeks to iron out the longstanding issues.
Last month, this newspaper reported that a small group of former workers remained at the riverfront keeping watch and their actions were supported by the union. They had said that the past months were difficult and many families have had to tap into their savings to survive.
The political impasse over the March 2 elections did not help the situation as workers were unable able to access any financial assistance from the government.
The National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), which is government’s holding company, had paid their salaries and wages of staff in February. The union, after applying to the Ministry of Finance, was given a $30 million grant, which was used to pay staff. That was a one-time payment.
The former workers have said that are standing by their call for RUSAL to leave Guyana. “They want to pay us next to nothing and expect us to accept this and when we reject it they want to pack up and go away. We cannot accept this and we will not accept this,” a worker declared.
In January RUSAL’s management fired a total of 326 workers and announced the suspension of its operations. This announcement came as a surprise to government officials as they were only made aware of the company’s decision during a meeting.
The union and BCGI have been in a decade-long labour dispute over a number of issues, including wages. Following strikes last year, the company signed an agreement to engage the union to find a solution but this did not materialise.
Around three months after RUSAL announced that they were suspending their operations, contracted shipping company, Oldendorff Carriers Guyana Inc (OCGI), announced they were forced to close their operations here.
As a result of the closure, 132 employees were laid off.
OCGI is the company contracted to ship and transport bauxite from BCGI’s mines at Kurubuka in Region 10.
Explaining its decision, the company in the statement said BCGI did not extend their operational contract with OCGI. “Unfortunately, OCGI’s customer in Guyana has decided to suspend and mothball its operation in Guyana and thus not to extend the operational contract with OCGI. Consequently, OCGI is forced to wind down operations in Guyana.”