Aurora Gold Mine Standoff…

Jul 05, 2019 News

Labour Dept. meets National Mine Workers’ Union

The Labour Department of the Ministry of Social Protection met with the National Mine Workers’ Union (NMWU) yesterday to discuss several issues that are being faced by the workers of Aurora Gold Mine Incorporated (AGM), the mine being managed by Canadian company, Guyana Goldfields.

President of the National Mine Workers’ Union, Sherwin Downer

The rank-and-file workers at Aurora’s mines and mechanical division had begun to strike earlier this week, due to what they considered workers’ rights abuses. Roughly 250 workers participated in the strike, which lasted for two days. During the ordeal, the managers of the mines reportedly turned off the internet connection so that the workers couldn’t reach the general public. Workers protested in the rain, and reported that the administration had even refused to feed them on one day, save for a single meal.
Guyana Goldfields released a statement on Wednesday, announcing that they had suspended work until a solution could be reached for the workers’ grievances, but claimed that the cause of the strike was due to a ‘misunderstanding’.
The Labour Department was forced to meet with a team of workers later that afternoon to hear their concerns, after which Minister of Labour, Keith Scott, told Kaieteur News that the workers agreed to go back to work, on the condition that their request for union representation is expedited. They had indicated the desire to be represented by NMWU.
The workers told Kaieteur News that Minister Scott promised to visit the mines on Monday to have a better understanding of what they are facing. Scott said that the Ministry’s efforts will consider all issues being faced at all of AGM’s units.
The Labour Department’s discussions with the union ended with Government ensuring that none of the workers would be fired, and that the application for the workers to be unionised would be expedited.
NMWU met with the workers after, and the discussions addressed the application process for union membership, the benefits of being unionised, the restoration of the internet connection, and several other issues.
NMWU President, Sherwin Downer, told Kaieteur News yesterday that the union is satisfied with the discussions it had with the Labour Department officials, which included Minister Scott and Chief Labour Officer, Charles Ogle.
But Downer said the issue remains that the workers need their internet connection turned back on.
In a statement, he said that NMWU “stands in solidarity with the workers in their struggle for union representation, acceptable take-home remuneration, improved working conditions (which remains below standards), and respect for their rights as Guyanese…”