Govt. warns Rusal: Guyanese workers must be respected , labour laws upheld -labour officials to visit Aroraima today

Feb 22, 2019 News

---

 

Government has warned Rusal that it must respect workers and uphold labour laws.
This came from a key meeting yesterday at the Ministry of the Presidency as bauxite workers remained defiant and holed up at Aroaima, refusing orders to remove from the area by managers of the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. (BCGI).
A ministerial team that included Amna Ally and Keith Scott, who is charged with labour, is expected to fly in this midday with supplies.
Separately, the Ministry of the Presidency said that Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, made it clear that Guyanese workers must be treated in a respectful manner and at all times in keeping with the country’s labour laws.
The meeting with the Russians is intended to identify ways in which the ongoing industrial strike taken by workers and their subsequent dismissal can be resolved amicably.
Minister Harmon was accompanied by Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally; Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman; and Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection with responsibility for Labour, Keith Scott.
Rusal was represented by Vladimir Permyakov, Company Representative in Guyana, and Sergey Kostyuk, Director of Alumina and Bauxite Department, who both flew in from Russia for the meeting.
During the meeting, Minister Harmon said Government views the ongoing dispute as serious and noted that it was among priority matters on the agenda at the Ministerial Plenary this week.
“There are two objectives to this: the Guyanese workers must be treated in a respectful and fair manner at all times… their rights must be respected and at the same time, the company must function and ensure it makes profits for its shareholders.
“It is a question of finding common ground and ensuring that our workers’ rights are respected. We must find common ground to move forward. The issues must be dealt with in a clear way,” he said.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Minister Ally said the Government has laid out its contentions while the company was also given the opportunity to do so. The dismissed workers will also be given a chance to have their side heard, she said.
Meeting at Aroaima
“(Today) we are going to have a second round of engagement where Minister Keith Scott, the Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection and the person who deals specifically with labour, will be meeting with the workers at Aroaima to have some discussions with them.
“What came out of an earlier) meeting is that after we have laid some of the issues, the executive will be taking this matter to their principals, have a discussion and then get back to us.”
According to Minister Ally, Government is continuing engagements on the ground with the workers.
“It is Government’s intention to have this matter resolved amicably,” she said.
In addition to the engagement with the workers, Ally disclosed that the Ministry of Social Protection will be providing support to the dismissed workers, particularly in the provision of basic amenities.
“One of the things we are going to be doing (today) is that we will be taking up some supplies that will assist the 60-odd workers who have been taken off their work posts; food items, et cetera to sustain them.
“The workers are there. They are in need. Their basic needs have been taken away and the Ministry of Social Protection…we are a caring Government and a caring Ministry. We have to find a way to give support and we cannot just leave them there. We have to be able to give them some sort of support for their livelihood so it shouldn’t be interpreted adversely,” she said.
At the close of the meeting, the company’s representatives committed to briefing its principals and making a decision.
Bad message for Investors

The workers took strike actions last week after seeing what they said was a measly one percent increase in their pay packets.
The actions saw the company closing operation in its Region Ten mines at Kurubuka.
On Monday, BCGI said 61 workers, ordering them to leave.
BCGI insisted that it is normal for the company to give workers raises in keeping with the inflation.
The company insisted that it has benefitted workers, with NIS, taxes, vacation, lights and housing.
However, the union has been complaining that the company has refused to treat with it.
The company has claimed that it has been operating for 14 years and not making a profit.
The people of Guyana own 10 percent and have not received dividends, yet the company has continued operating.
The union has accused the company of using ingenious accounting to hide profits.
In 2009, 57 workers were fired by BCGI for participating in a similar strike action for better condition.
Several unions have called for the situation to be resolved with heavy criticisms against Rusal.
“The Working People’s Alliance has noted the recent decision by Rusal to fire sixty-one of its workers with immediate effect. The WPA stands in solidarity with the dismissed workers and demand that they be reinstated.
“This decision by Rusal however should not be seen as an isolated matter as it has over the years showed itself to be anti-workers’ rights and consistently challenging the sovereignty of our country.”
WPA said it has noted that in addition to firing staffers the company has refused on occasions to meet with Government.
“The Working People’s Alliance is of the firm belief that Rusal should no longer be allowed to continue to function in contravention of our constitution, the laws that govern our land and the laws that protect workers and workers rights. Allowing Rusal to continue in the manner that it has functioned will signal to other foreign direct investors our inability to adequately respond to such blatant disrespect of our laws, giving them the belief and view that they too can come here and take advantage of our citizens without fear of being sanctioned.”

 

---

---