Labour Ministry meeting with BCGI results in arbitration; Workers can resume duty

The Ministry of Social Protection’s Department of Labour’s meeting with the management of Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. (BCGI) on Friday, January 31, resulted in arbitration. Workers are thus, can return to work now under the three below mentioned conditions as communicated to the company and Department of Labour.

• Those workers who were laid off on 23rd and 30th of January must be without the loss of pay or service given that the acts of sending them off violate Section 12 of the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act
• Two employees who suffered from electrical shocks while on duty and were not subsequently paid for the hospital expense and later on, were also off the job should be compensated
• Appointment of Arbitration Tribunal to resolve wages and salaries grievance

Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GBGWU) has reportedly demanded for declaration of deadlock followed by arbitration. The union has also called on the Guyanese community, trade unions comrades, and the media to rally around bauxite workers in exposing and fighting the injustices done on them.

The union is of the opinion that this movement is to remind the company of the Constitution of Guyana that speaks about the sovereignty of the nation and the Laws of Guyana which were in violation for over a decade. It is also to remind RUSAL representative Vladimir Permyakov that changes do not always come through discussions, but in many instances, through force.

Guyana has a proud history and legacy of struggles and none will take from us what we took hundreds of years to achieve, i.e. human rights and a nation state, added the union.