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Mining union supports Aurora workers
The National Mine Workers Union of Guyana (NMWUG) is calling on the Ministry of Social Protection to take
NMWUG President, Sherwin Downer
seriously the many complaints it has received from workers attached to the Guyana Goldfields.
The Union also wants the Ministry to publicly release findings of previous investigations launched into the mistreatment of workers at that company.
The call comes on the heels of an article that was recently published in this newspaper. The article highlighted the claims of a group of men who said that they were working under less than healthy conditions at Aurora Gold Mines, which is a subsidiary of the Guyana Goldfields.
The many claims made were very vigorously denied by the mining company.
Yesterday, President of NMWUG, Sherwin Downer, said that the allegations of slavish treatment is not new and must finally be taken seriously by the Ministry of Social Protection.
Downer pointed to an article published in Kaieteur News last July that highlighted similar concerns. Downer said that workers have been contacting him since last year and the allegations of slavish working conditions remain constant.
According to him, “There remains a high level of disrespect for workers rights, denial of their rights to union representation, flouting of the labour laws and little or no adherence to safety and health regulations.”
Downer said that the company’s Human Resources Manager, Peter Benny, is hiding the truth.
He said that subsequent to the publication of the article last year, the then Junior Minister of Social Protection, Simona Broomes and Chief Labour Officer, Charles Ogle visited Guyana Goldfields and promised to make their findings public but never did.
Downer said that his Union has sources within Guyana Goldfields/Aurora Gold Mines at all levels that have been making contact intervention.
He said that the Union made several attempts to get a meeting with the company. In this regard, several emails and post mail were sent and copied to the Ministry of Social Protection but those were completely ignored.
“To date, the company has not returned any calls or acknowledgement to our emails and letters, which we deemed very disrespectful by the company.”
Downer said, “According to our many sources within Guyana Goldfields/Aurora Gold Mines, Peter Benny told workers that as long as he is there at Goldfields, no union aint going there. Further, when workers approach Mr. Benny to raise work related issues, they have to haul their tails between their feet as though they are dogs because they are told that he has five thousand application forms on his desk and people want work.”
Downer said that it will be a shame if the government condones such actions.
“We urge the government to take a bold step to ensuring that the rights of citizens are respected and that they are treated fairly by Guyana Goldfields and all other companies operating in the mining industry,” said Downer.
Downer said that there is a workers committee set up at Guyana Goldfields which was intended to address work related issues but Benny is Head of that committee.
Workers recently told Kaieteur News that they work in a “slave camp.” They said that they were made to work long hours but were not paid in full for that.
The workers lamented that there is no union. They also made allegations of being penalized if they tried to speak up about concerns relating to working conditions.
One former worker claimed that he was laid off after working four years with the company. He said that all he was given as severance was one month’s pay in lieu of notice.
The workers also claimed that they were verbally abused. While some employees received termination letters, some of the workers claim that they haven’t received any official word on their employment status but were told that they cannot travel at this time.
However, most of these allegations were denied when Kaieteur News contacted Guyana Gold Fields of which AGM is a subsidiary.
Country Manager, Violet Smith, took offence at reference to “slave camp.” She said, “The use of the term is unacceptable, given the historical dehumanization of persons to which the word slave refers. Its use is meant to slander and place the Company in disrepute.
“A visit to the Aurora Project would immediately disavow any casual observer to the maliciousness of the claim. I would like to take this opportunity to invite Ms. Rockcliffe and others in her agency to visit our facilities, and as well to suggest to the media that they direct the laid off workers to the Ministry of Labour.”
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