As Guyana moves closer to first oil some time during the first quarter of 2020, concerns may be emerging over the issue of the unionisation of workers employed in fields related to the country’s oil and gas sector arising out of what would appear to be documented evidence that foreign companies in the sector may not be disposed to the unionisation of Guyanese workers.
Late last week Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) General Secretary Lincoln Lewis told Stabroek Business that he had been “reliably informed” that Totaltec Oilfield Services Inc, which in its promotional material says it is “committed to identifying opportunities in the oil & gas industry and placing qualified and dedicated Guyanese,” had fired a Guyanese who had refused to sign an employment contract with the company which vetoes union membership for employees “without the prior written consent of the company.” Lewis said that the dismissed employee, having initially declined to sign the contract had subsequently signed it but was dismissed anyway.
