The confusion in the bauxite industry

Apr 28, 2010 Letters

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Dear Editor,
The current Bauxite workers issue between RUSAL and the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers union (GB&GWU) has left a nasty taste in the minds of many workers across this land. Much as Guyanese are eagerly yearning for big time foreign investment that pays well, they are at the same time becoming skeptical as some not so nice stories and events about foreign companies unfold.
As a Lindener and a Guyanese, kindly allow me to make my input in this sad state of affair that confront the bauxite workers. This bauxite workers issue has been in the headlines of our dailies for months now and has been banging at relentlessly by the indefatigable Lincoln Lewis, General Secretary of the T.U.C, along with contributions by many other concerned individuals who have condemned the actions of the government, RUSAL and the Chief Labour Officer while standing in support of the workers.
In this regard I would like to make reference to three letters: “Bauxite workers are not asking for handouts but their rights” by Carlton Sinclair, President of Aroiama/ Kwakwani mines-GB&GWU, Stabroek News; “The treatment meted out to bauxite workers would never happen to GUYSUCO employees “by David Patterson, Kaieteur News, 24th March; “Trade Union board should determine whether GB&GWU was destabilized “by Dr Sookdeo, Stabroek News 24th March;
I noted where one S. Singh in his letter to the Kaieteur News, 25th March, under the heading “Government has miserably to mitigate the risk faced by bauxite workers,” did shed much light with his erudite analysis of the bauxite situation, internationally, but more specifically as it relates to RUSAL, and which seeks to explain the bind in which RUSAL finds itself, hence the reason for the audacious and drastic actions towards the union/workers-even to the point of barefaced violation of agreed established laws.
Mr Singh suggested that the government’s hands seem tied, probably through some arrangement that we do not know, though he did nail the Government over their neglect, incompetence and feckless handling of the workers/bauxite situation.I am not amazed that FITUG has come full circle around; it seems to be the way with our politics.
Formed during the Burnham/PNC reign to challenge the government control and manipulation of the TUC and to uphold the pillars/principles of trade unionism, FITUG now wears the government’s boots, and like NAACIE and GAWU are very silent on the plight of bauxite workers.
And this is why David Patterson became so worked up that one could almost feel the emotions flowing through him when he states: “Everyone, including Komal Chand and Kenneth Joseph, knows that the treatment meted out to the bauxite union and workers would never happen to workers of the sugar and the industries NAACIE and GAWU represent.
“On the other hand, when sugar workers strike, no army or riot squad confronts them and they always get what they want even as production continues to decline and GUYSUCO has to barrow to pay increased wages…”
What must we say now? How must we feel now to see that the obnoxious and unjust things that we struggled against decades ago are confronting us once more; the apparent union busting, destabilizing, violation of workers’ rights, intimidation, deep seated fears for lost of jobs?
These ills that we fought so hard and long against, uncalled for sending of riot police and soldiers to break up workers demonstration. How is it that with this change where one of the main movements, along with key activists in opposition and now in control, these things still face us just like yesteryear?
We thought that these things were over and done, but we are wrong; they are not, or why else would Dr Sookdeo state: “When the threat becomes real and employees are dismissed by insidious means during disputes, others fearful of losing their jobs may unwillingly obey instructions from management contrary to their belief.
It is unfortunate that the current impasse between RUSAL and GB&GWU has placed employees in such a position where decisions were made based on fear…, “and while Lincoln Lewis screams ‘fear must no longer stalk this land of ours’”, sadly that is the way it is, don’t deny it, many are afraid to speak out, “with some actually immobilized by fear” which Walter Rodney once defined as a “justified fear” the threat, the nightmare of not being able to provide for self and family.
Sinclair, in his letter, said, “The method employed by bauxite workers to bring attention to other grievances is no different from those used by sugar workers in their recent strike action. No one had the army/riot police swoop down on them or lost their jobs.
In fact, the government moved with haste to address their grievances and cause GUYSUCO to pay increase wages’. Just like David Patterson pointed out, Sinclair was equally similar and strident; in his accusation of the Government why or what is making black people feel this way?
No wonder the union thought it best to call in the Ethnic Relations Committee, and this is not a good sign for a nation still dangling in the throes of racism. Understand that this uncomfortable feeling is not confined within the minds of Patterson and Sinclair but rather represents the mood of a substantial number of other blacks.
By the way, didn’t Seasnarine Singh point out to us that in the 2010 budget Kwakwani was not even mentioned with respect to bauxite?
As I reflect on some of the people who were so defiant, who were in the forefront and appeared so stubborn in their opposition to these things, who verbally murdered Burnham/PNC in the process, and as I look at the scene now I remember the words of two men: Jacob Braithwaite, former president of GMWU once said to me “Yuh see when the rice is out the pot it does hard and stubborn; but when it deh in the pot and it cook, it no more stubborn, yuh can chew it easy”.
And a former columnist of the Chronicle, Mohamed Hamaludin, at a conference some years ago at NAACIE’S building in Kingston, after being rebuked by Moses Nagamootoo for “bastardising” himself as a journalist, the man calmly looked at him and responded “Moses don’t worry. With all wha you saying now, when things change I gon be saying wha you saying now and you gon be doing wha I doing.”
And so it seems that we are stuck; today me, tomorrow you.
Finally, Carlton Sinclair sums up his letter on the bauxite workers on a very touching note that brought on a sad feeling when he informed us that Prime Minister Sam Hinds was written to on this matter but did not respond.
Minister Nadir was also written to, but except for acknowledging the piece of correspondence, also did not respond. So too was the Chief Labour Officer.
Yet, what was much more emotional that almost weakened the tear gland was him stating; ‘Bauxite workers are not asking for handouts. We go to work every day, work for 10 to 12 hours per day, under difficult and dangerous conditions, move millions of tons of overburden and extract millions of tons of bauxite.
“Some of us have even fallen sick working under unsafe conditions. All we are asking for is justice. If the laws that are there to protect us are not being applied, where else can we mm? And what are we being forced to resort to if our legal and constitutional means and rights are being denied us?’
Editor this is the kind of situation from which extreme, radical and violent actions are born.
Frank Fyffe

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