Aroaima workers end strike

– union to present grievances to company

After six days of strike, workers of the Bauxite Company of Guyana (BCG) have returned to work.

BCG, a subsidiary of Russian bauxite giant United Company (UC) RUSAL operated in Aroaima, had refused to meet and negotiate the General Workers’ Union (GBGWU), General Secretary Leslie Gonsalves said on Monday. However, the union’s vice President Carlton Sinclair yesterday said that the strike “was called off” on Wednesday evening.

Sinclair explained that there has been “full resumption of work” and that over 40 employees were suspended for five days. The union, according to Sinclair, will deal with the matter “through the given legal procedure and will be presenting a list of grievances to the company”.

Over 200 employees, according to Gonsalves, were on strike. The strike commenced last Friday and gained momentum during the weekend. Gonsalves had explained that the strike commenced after BCG refused to fix the air conditioner (AC) units in the trucks used to transport bauxite from the mine.

Gavin Lewis, a heavy-duty machinery operator who transported bauxite from the mines using a truck, was rushed for medical attention at approximately 1.30 am last Tuesday. Gonsalves, like workers, is blaming the man’s “sudden bad health” on the fact that the AC units of BCG’s trucks are not functioning.

The trucks’ AC units, workers told Stabroek News on Sunday, are among the most vital safety mechanisms for operators; especially those working the night/early morning shift. It counters the high temperature in the vehicle’s heated cabin and keeps the “harmful dust and other particles” out. However, the trucks’ AC units have not been functioning for months, workers said, leaving operators to brave the dust and heat. This is what sparked the strike.

Gonsalves had explained that the union tried to convince management officials early last week to meet the simple demand of the workers and fix the AC units in the trucks. However, he said the company ignored the request.

BCG, according to Gonsalves, was claiming that it was never made aware of the decision taken by the union to strike. However, Gonsalves insisted that a letter was dispatched to the company last Saturday morning informing of the action the union would be taking.

Last Friday, Gonsalves explained, management had ordered those employees who lived in the company’s camp to leave. BCG subsequently recalled the decision but while workers were allowed to remain in the camp the company refused to continue supplying food. The union, Gonsalves had said, was providing workers with rations at the time.

Meanwhile, Gonsalves said that Sinclair was arrested on Sunday afternoon. Sinclair was later released but it is still not clear, Gonsalves said, why he was taken into custody in the first place.

The roads leading to the BCG establishment had been blocked by workers, Gonsalves explained, to prevent others from reporting for duty. The General Secretary had stated that “it is not fair for only a portion of workers to strike…they should all strike so the road block has been set up to ensure this”.

However, police had warned the union about the action. Gonsalves explained that a police officer had informed him that police will be forced “to take whatever necessary action” to execute their duty.

“We are not afraid,” Gonsalves had stated. “We will continue fighting until RUSAL meets our demands and gives workers a secure working environment.”

The UC RUSAL subsidiary is obligated by the laws of Guyana to provide safe and healthy working environment for its workers and to ensure that machinery operated by them are safe and without risk to their health. The Occupational Safety and Health Act, Chapter 99:10 Subsection 46 2(o) and 2(p) of the Laws of Guyana, states that the employer shall – “(o) provide and maintain a safe, sound, healthy and secure working environment as far as is reasonably practicable; (p) ensure that the work-place, machinery, equipment and processes under his control are safe and without risk to safety and healthy as is reasonably practicable”.

Efforts made to contact BCG’s manager Sergey Kostyuk and Personnel Officer Leroy Saul about issue have been futile. Minister of Labour Manzoor Nadir has also been unavailable for comment.

UC RUSAL is represented in Guyana by its subsidiary Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc, which was established in December 2004 within the agreement on bauxite mine development, signed by UC RUSAL and the Government of Guyana. On March 31, 2006, UC RUSAL acquired the assets of the Aroaima Mining Company (AMC) and obtained the financial and production activities of the Guyanese company under its regulation, as well as most of its property, infrastructure and deposits with aggregate reserves of 96 million tonnes of bauxite.