The Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) on Wednesday dispatched a letter to Chief Labour Officer Yoganand Persaud seeking the ministry’s intervention in a two-month-long dispute with the Aroaima-based bauxite company, BCGI.

A statement yesterday from the GB&GWU said that “The reluctance of the Ministry of Labour to take strong actions against BCGI continues to be troubling given the fact that the Ministry is the custodian of the labour laws and conciliator in labour disputes.”

The union says it is awaiting a reply to its request. Workers went on strike following a dispute with the company over wages. Since then there have been bitter recriminations between the two sides. Some workers have been dismissed and the RUSAL subsidiary-BCGI has declared the Collective Labour Agreement between the two parties to be null and has also said it is moving to have the union derecognized.

In its statement yesterday, the GB&GWU said “The efforts of the employer in forcing workers to go against their Right to Freedom of Association must be of concern to all law-abiding citizens.” The union charged that persons are being threatened to sign a petition prepared by the company for de-recognition as a condition to remain in employment.

“The issue of membership in a union is one for the individual and any company that coerces a worker to renounce his membership or pursue any action against its union is illegal”, the union argued. It said for those employees dismissed or suspended, the union is committed to pursuing their matters.