Dear Editor,
The Working People’s Alliance has noted the recent decision by RUSAL to fire sixty-one of its workers with immediate effect. The WPA stands in solidarity with the dismissed workers and demand that they be reinstated. This decision by RUSAL however should not be seen as an isolated matter as it has over the years showed itself to be anti-workers’ rights and consistently challenging the sovereignty of our country.
RUSAL dismissed 59 workers after they went on strike in 2009, in 2011 they refused to attend the meeting between the company and the Government of Guyana, again in 2011 workers reported that the General Manager of RUSAL threatened staff with a spade. In October 2017 GB&GWU won a poll mandated by the Trade Union Recognition Board, RUSAL has refused to have any relations with the Union, claiming a Judge ruled on an application from FITUG that there were irregularities, however the Labour Department has ruled that the GB&GWU is the recognized union. The aforementioned I am sure are just the complaints that have reached the media.
The Working People’s Alliance is of the firm belief that RUSAL should no longer be allowed to continue to function in contravention of our constitution, the laws that govern our land and the laws that protect workers and workers’ rights. Allowing RUSAL to continue in the manner that it has functioned will signal to other foreign direct investors our inability to adequately respond to such blatant disrespect of our laws giving them the belief and view that they too can come here and take advantage of our citizens without fear of being sanctioned.
We hope that this incident does not go unnoticed and that the government takes action in defence of the workers.
Yours faithfully,
Tabitha Sarabo-Halley
Chair
WPA
