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Amazon vs. Rusal
It could be criticized as comparing apples to oranges, but there are a few lessons in doing so, given what happened with mighty Amazon last week in 
New York City, and what is still ongoing with Rusal right over here in Guyana.
There was Amazon: a corporate behemoth among many hubristic behemoths. It came with what has been described as a rich package of mouthwatering fare. Tell any politician about the creation of 25,000 jobs and the building of network infrastructures, and he or she is falling over self to seal the deal, to lock-in such a rare corporate suitor before it flies the coop to a competing place. That was what happened, until it became undone.
On the plus side, the words were many jobs, billions in revenues, and much trickledown effects to community and businesses. On the opposition’s side of the equation were workers’ conditions, costs, and community deterioration. Bad all around. And then Amazon and the opportunity were gone. Rather than focus on who is right, the more progressive thing to do is to measure Amazon’s contexts with those now being experienced by locals at the hands of Rusal. First, an illustration.
Give a beggar in the street a dollar bill and there is the risk of a verbal assault; better not give anything and keep moving. That 1% offer was the equivalent of the pittance extended to the penniless; rage comes instantly. And just like the enraged street inhabitant, bauxite workers screamed out through the protest of strike action; the 1% was bound to trigger hard feelings and harder actions. It might have been better to do nothing, and simply indicate a willingness to bargain. Normalcy and respect must return now.
For the workers to be contemptuously ousted from worksite, shelter, and other amenities, corresponds to the treatment by Amazon of NYC brass and hopeful community. To add insult, Rusal insensitively decided that it was not attending any meeting with the (state) Ministry of Labour.
Sounds and looks like shades of Jeff Bezos first circling his corporate wagons, and then distancing from a town of thorns in an exhibition of strong-arm muscle. Similarly, the marketing and presenting of Rusal’s strategy and goals were poorly handled. There was little oomph to any positives; thus, the minuses took over. A classic example of misreading the marketplace and what it is ready to take; and without conditioning the audience.
In both instances, there was a common thread: a lack of comprehensive reasoning and the delicate balance that ensues from such. There was overreach and overkill. Instead of the emphasis being on what could be gained, it was all about what had to be given up, and to teach a lesson. There was too little thunder regarding the former; while in terms of the latter, there was too much hard anger. Both Amazon and Rusal reacted and unilaterally decided: get the hell out of my face. Don’t mess with me. And we are out of here.
Locally, Rusal was too quick on the draw with each and every one of its decisions, be they the paltry 1%, or get off the premises, or no more cooking, or it is the end of the line, as in firing. And then to compound matters came that insulting absence from the table of conversation and conciliation with the Ministry of Labour, trapped in the very public roles as matchmaker and chaperone, as well as knitter and healer all in one.
This is the 21st century; Guyanese must not be treated as beggars. While not undoable, the situation was clearly made more arduous given the tone and ill-feeling now surging and raging. Looked at closely, and it becomes clear that Rusal has presented Guyanese a rare common bone on which to chew in common contentment. National pride and dignity have been injured; both are inflamed. Things are beyond ‘eye-pass’; Guyanese workers deserve way better. Normalcy it must be.
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