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GAWU engages labour minister about Guyanese workers’ exploitation in oil industry
Kaieteur News – The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) on Wednesday, engaged Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton and other officials of the Ministry of Labour, regarding the disregard of workers’ rights by several enterprises in the oil and gas sector. This engagement comes on the heels of workers’ in the oil sector regularly reaching out to the Union after the launch of its Oil and Gas Branch a few weeks ago. According to GAWU, these engagements have revealed a common thread of worker exploitation across enterprises with many workers’ rights simply ignored or completely disregarded by the forei
n and local bosses and their agents.
GAWU noted that the Minister’s attention was directed to the fact that workers’ were denied overtime payments or days off. They pointed out that even though the benefits were statutorily enshrined, it appeared that the enterprises operated with impunity. The Union stated, that it was duty bound to speak on behalf of the oppressed workers’ who are threatened with termination and other forms of intimidation, and also noted that foreigners were being rewarded much more richly than locals despite undertaking the same tasks.
GAWU contended that they recently wrote a well-known firm in the sector regarding their disregard for workers’ contractual obligations, but noted that their correspondence was not even greeted with an acknowledgement.
Minister Hamilton noted that the Ministry was aware of similar situations and was committed to ensuring that no worker right is violated by local or foreign enterprises. He shared that the Ministry, through the Chief Labour Officer, will invite the enterprise in an effort to ensure that the workers’ rights are upheld. The Labour Minister assured that the workers’ have an ally in him and the Ministry, and committed to working collaboratively with GAWU and other Unions to ensure that workers’ are protected.
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