PU&GWU making unrealistic demands…. OCGI

Jun 18, 2015 News

The Oldendorff Carriers Guyana Inc. (OCGI) in a response to various allegations by the People’s United and General Workers Union (PU&GWU) has said that “the union is making unrealistic demands”.

Mining site at Aroaima Region#10

The union is demanding an increase in wages and allowances which it says should have taken effect since January 1, 2015.
The union wants meal allowances to be increased from $1,285 to $1,700 for each day worked, and for station allowances to be increase from $400 to $815.
But according to the OCGI, “This is impractical because according to GRA, since allowances are not taxed they cannot exceed 10 per cent of employees’ wages.”
In addition, there is the call for wages to be increased by five per cent; this was not done to date according to the union.
The negotiations for a new Collective Labour Agreement (CLA) however, are in train and OCGI, at present, is under the old CLA of a former union.
The early conclusion of the CLA is deemed important since it provides for improving working conditions ,increase wages and procedures to be followed to address workers grievances and the issues’ that workers stated to the union etc.
It is alleged by the PU&GWU that the OCGI stop the union from conducting meetings on the company work sites located in the New Amsterdam basin, which resulted in the union unable to meet with the workers on the worksite to get a first-hand view of the conditions that they are working under and if a worker is injured on the work site, the union needs to conduct investigations of the matter.
“Only recently a worker, while on duty at the New Amsterdam basin, had his legs broken when some items fell on him. To date the worker is at home, unable to walk due to his injury,” said the General Manager of PU&GWU.
“The union proposes new labour laws to the new Government. These laws will provide for foreign companies operating in Guyana such as Oldendorff, to pay Guyanese international rates and provide international working standard.”
But OCGI said, “The working conditions at our facilities are in very good conditions and so are our wages… We do not have internationally qualified persons employed so we cannot pay international rates.”
The company maintained that the Union is the reason for the delays of the CLA because of their “unrealistic demands” and the matter is still in the council of the Labour Ministry.

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