WPA slams RUSAL over moves to take away vacation allowance

Dec 29, 2011 News

The Working People’s Alliance (WPA) yesterday accused the local subsidiary of Russian bauxite giant, RUSAL, of unleashing another act of tyranny on Guyanese workers.
The party said that it has learnt that RUSAL, which owns 95% of and operates the Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI), has now launched an attack against another segment of its work force, the local senior staff.
The WPA said that it has been reliably informed that at a recent meeting, BCGI, through its Industrial Relations Adviser, former Guyana Chief Labour Officer, Mohamed Akeel, has notified workers that it will be taking away their vacation allowance which has been an integral part of the Compensation Package in their Contact of Employment with BCGI since 2006.
At the meeting alluded to above, which was attended by the Personnel Officer, Elena Gorshkova, the WPA claimed that Akeel advanced the argument that the Clause in the Contract which obligates BCGI to pay a Vacation Allowance of one month’s pay to eligible workers, is in violation of the Laws of Guyana and will be withdrawn forthwith. The affected workers have been told that a new contract will be prepared and given to them and the contracts must be signed and returned within one week or they will be terminated.
“It is very clear that Mohamed Akeel is fully aware that the conditions of a contract of employment cannot be arbitrarily varied by an employer. If an employer chooses to do so what that employer is in fact doing is terminating the employee,” the WPA stated.
“What is now emerging is that BCGI, in the face of the government of Guyana’s intransigence in relation to its vicious actions against the 57 workers it illegally dismissed in November 2009, now feels emboldened to extend its viciousness to another segment of its worker. Hence, its use of intimidatory measures to get its way,” the party added.
The WPA charged that RUSAL’s “anti-union high-handedness” no doubt derives from its well established habit of ignoring the weakened trade unions in Russia where rampant privatization has reduced the once powerful trade union movement to irrelevance.”
The WPA called on the Government of Guyana, which owns the remaining 5% of BCGI, to intervene immediately.
The party said it hoped that the new Minister of Labour, Nanda Gopaul, will, unlike his predecessor, Manzoor Nadir, be more proactive.
RUSAL and its workers union have been in a constant battle over the last two years after 50-plus workers were dismissed for leading strike actions for better conditions at the Aroaima mines in Region 10.
The phones of RUSAL’s Georgetown offices were not immediately answered yesterday.

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WPA slams RUSAL over moves to take away vacation allowance

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