A company that recruits workers for ExxonMobil has agreed to rectify the overtime rates paid to Guyanese working on the Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) platform.
A statement today from the Ministry of Labour said that following a report in Sunday’s edition of Kaieteur News about the mistreatment of workers on the FPSO, the Ministry of Labour yesterday called a meeting with the recruiting agency responsible for the welfare of the workers in question.
The statement said that Chief Labour Officer (CLO), Dhaneshwar Deonarine met with senior management of Newrest Guyana, the recruiting company/sub-contractor for ExxonMobil which provides employees to undertake housekeeping, catering, food supply, and laundry functions. The meeting which was held in the Ministry’s boardroom was attended by Newrest’s General Manager, Antoine Morillon and its Quality, Health, Safety and Environment Director, Nicholas Ali.
In response to the allegations of their workers being fed leftovers and not being able to eat among expatriates on the FPSO, the manager told the CLO that due to company protocol, the clients would usually eat first, then the service staff. In addition, Morillon said that service staff who are not on duty are allowed to eat among the clients.
The CLO also questioned the company about its overtime payment to workers, where it was found that in some cases the rates applied were not in keeping with the Factories (Hours and Holidays) Act. The senior management has since promised to have it rectified. This will include fixing the overtime rates and providing retroactive payments to properly compensate employees for previously paid overtime, all of which will be clearly outlined in employees’ contracts with the prescribed rates following the law, the release said.
On the issue of bonuses, the company said that bonuses are paid to certain categories of workers, whether they are expatriates or Guyanese. The company added that the staff in the laundry category, however, are not paid bonuses. The statement said that the CLO has also asked the company to submit a copy of its wages and leave records for the Ministry to verify that the labour laws are being adhered to in that regard.
Deonarine said that he was pleased with the company’s acceptance of its infractions as it relates to the payment of overtime and also commended its willingness to remedy them.
