Labour Dept. working to have Rusal workers reinstated

Jan 25, 2020 News

Officials from the Ministry of Social Protection have met with workers union and company representatives to discuss the reinstatement of 142 bauxite workers who were recently let go.

Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Keith Scott

Workers of Rusal standing in solidarity at the Kwakwani river front area, Upper Berbice River area, Region 10, yesterday, where a number of them are camping out in defiance.

Minister with responsibility for Labour, Keith Scott, disclosed that he and Chief Labour Officer, Charles Ogle, met with representatives of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers’ Union (GB&GWU) and executives of BCGI, a subsidiary of the bauxite company Russian Aluminium (RUSAL), on Thursday.
“We do not support the workers being laid off. They have families to care for and bills to pay. There must be consideration for the persons employed with the bauxite company and we will ensure that this matter is resolved soon,” Minister Scott told DPI.
He explained that RUSAL claimed the firing was a result of a fuel shortage which affected the company’s operation. The Labour Department will be investigating those claims.
Describing RUSAL’s action as legally and morally wrong, Minister Scott said the company never provided the necessary legal and statutory notice to either the Labour Department nor the union as the law requires.
The workers have since blocked the upper Berbice River and are demanding reinstatement.
Last February, some 60 workers downed tools to protest a randomly imposed one percent salary increase. They were dismissed for striking but were all subsequently reinstated.
RUSAL has a history of clashing with the workers’ union since coming here in the mid-2000.
It is being investigated for abuse of its tax concessions, among other things.