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Union denies 90% workers back at work

Dec 11, 2009 News

By Leonard Gildarie

RUSAL’s Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc (BCGI) announcement that it will unilaterally increase wages and salaries for bauxite workers on strike is yet again another violation of the Laws of Guyana and the Collective Labour Agreement.
This was noted by the Guyana Bauxite & General Workers’ Union (GB&GWU) yesterday in a statement.
“In addition to this illegal action there is also the attempt to depart from established industrial relations practice. It should be noted this proposed unilateral imposition mirrors the government of Guyana – who is a partner investor in BCGI and employer of bauxite workers – treatment of wage/salary increases to public sector workers,” the union said.
RUSAL’s bauxite workers at Aroaima and Kwakwani are on a two-week strike for increased wages.
The union said it was “taken by surprise” by a report in another section of the media which noted that Chief Labour Officer, Yoganand Persaud, has indicated that a meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday with the BGCI and the GB&GWU.
“Prior to the news report, the union was unaware of this meeting, but stands ready to meet with BGCI management, consistent with its letter dated December 7, 2009, delivered to Managing Director Mr. Sergey Kostyuk, at the Queenstown Office…”
BCGI has no authority to terminate the Collective Labour Agreement entered into between the company and the GB&GWU, the statement yesterday said.
“As a measure of good faith, notwithstanding the undesirable conduct of BCGI, the executive of GB&GWU is prepared to continue negotiations. As a consequence you are put on immediate notice that GB&GWU is available to discuss Terms of Resumption as it relates to that of all employees of BCGI, including those unlawfully and vindictively dismissed and suspended.”
For clarity, the union said, its position is that legally no employee has been dismissed or suspended and as such, those who were issued with letters are considered to be on strike and on resumption they will return to work.
The union further stated that the report put out by BGCI that an estimated 90 percent of workers in the day and night shifts have returned to work is “erroneous, totally untrue”. Also untrue, the union says, is the statement that “over the last five shifts the production targets were surpassed.”
“This cannot be so because since the strike began on November 22, 2009 not one truck load of ore was removed from the mines. The old communist propaganda will not work. We invite the media to visit the mines and expose this deceit.”
Some 40 employees on Tuesday picketed the office of Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, who has the responsibilities for mining in Guyana.
On Wednesday, RUSAL said that today, it will announce increases in wages and salaries (by a unilateral and voluntary decision of the company) to allow preparation of pay packets in time for the Christmas holidays.
On Tuesday, former Chief Magistrate, Juliet Holder-Allen, and Chairman of Alliance For Change, Khemraj Ramjattan joined with the workers and their union, Guyana Bauxite and General Workers’ Union (GBWU).
On November 22, workers at RUSAL’s operations at Aroaima and Kwakwani downed tools after talks for wages’ increase broke down, shutting down operations at the two sites.
Almost 80 workers, including shop stewards of the union had been dismissed because of the strike.

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