Chief Labour Officer Charles Ogle yesterday said the Department of Labour of the Ministry of Social Protection is awaiting the response of the management of RUSAL’s Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI) on two proposals that were presented at a meeting yesterday on the current industrial action at the company’s Kwakwani mining operation.
Up to late yesterday afternoon, the situation escalated as residents and workers blocked the access road to the mines at Kwakwani and said that they were calling on the Department of Labour to facilitate discussions that will result into a swift conclusion of the matter. They also called on President David Granger to address the issue.
BCGI on Monday fired 61 workers (one has since been reinstated) following a strike that began last Friday. The company was also a no-show at a meeting with the Labour Department due to the presence of the head of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) Lincoln Lewis.
