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Rusal crisis… Escalating tensions continue

Dec 05, 2009 News

– workers refuse to be transported to locations

Escalating tensions continued unabated on Thursday, as workers who were scheduled to return to work at RUSAL‘s Aroaima and Kwakwani bauxite locations, adamantly refused to do so, even though two buses were provided for their transportation, from Linden to Aroaima, by management.
In the end, only senior officials of the company left Linden for the mining sites, while the disgruntled employees milled around the bus park, airing their grievances.
Prior to their departure, one of the buses left with four persons, presumably employees, amid shouts of ‘’traitors, traitors!”
A lone armed police officer, patrolled the area, but there were no violent protestations only subdued and earnest discussions, subsequent to the vociferous outbursts.
President of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU), Charles Sampson, and acting General Secretary, Leslie Gonsalves, were also at the scene, and took time out to speak with this newspaper.
Both opined that the present General Manager of RUSAL is at the root of all the problems facing the company and it was pointed out that no less than three strikes had been called since he took up office a little over a year ago.
Sampson said that most of the workers who had congregated at the bus park, had not really gone there to travel to Aroaima, but to show their solidarity for colleagues who had been dismissed, by staging a peaceful protest.
Those workers were on ‘turnaround’ and were scheduled to return to work since Thursday last.
“This shift is considered the ‘bad’ shift and these guys ain’t going nowhere,’’ Sampson declared.
“Yesterday (Wednesday) we went to discuss terms of resumption, and they hand we another letter; these people defying the Ministry of Labour.’’
Sampson added that the workers will not return to work, until satisfactory terms of resumption are signed, stipulating that there would be no victimisation etc.
General Secretary Leslie Gonsalves said that the latest position taken by the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. has exacerbated the strike action by workers and noted that an officer of the company was dispatched to Linden to have workers sign a document stating that they no longer want the Union to represent them.
Gonsalves further pointed out that one of the basic things in resumption of work was that the ‘status quo ante’ takes effect and this was not being accepted by the Company.
He noted that the Company was now involved in union busting and reminded that the GB&GWU has an agreement with the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. and cautioned; “They can’t suspend or terminate no collective labour agreement and they can’t derecognise the union.” He added, “It was outlined what must happen when the strike resolves…because you cannot ask workers to go back to work and you are hoping to continue with what you have messed up with. One of the fundamental principles that is included in terms of resumption is that status quo ante will prevail.” Gonsalves meanwhile declared, ‘’these people claim dey ain’t got no money, yet dey recently give big sponsorship to a sports event, is who eyes dey trying to pull wool over?
Meanwhile, a letter which was addressed to Sampson from RUSAL, dated December 1, 2009, deemed the Collective Labour Agreement (CLA) entered into between the company and the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union, and the Ministry of Labour dated April 4 2008, as terminated with immediate effect.
More than 500 are employed by rusal, with GB&GWU being the only Union representative.
BCGI issued a statement last Monday, announcing the imminent permanent closure of its operations. According to the company, there is a complete shutdown at Aroaima, and consequently a ship destined to collect bauxite, had to be diverted to Brazil.

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