Despite no progress in resolving the dispute between the Russian Aluminum (RUSAL) subsidiary Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc (BCGI) and its sacked workers, Social Protection Minister Amna Ally remains hopeful that the matter will be resolved soon.
Ally, in a telephone interview with Stabroek News yesterday, said that the Department of Labour is working to find a solution according to the law. She added that government’s position remains the same. Government has requested that the company reinstate all laid-off workers.
“There are rules and laws that govern how we treat foreign companies and we are going to use those laws to address this,” the minister said, while pointing out that the she is concerned over the livelihood of the sacked workers and their families.
RUSAL has fired a total of 326 workers and announced the suspension of its operations. This announcement came as a surprise to government officials as they were only made aware of the company’s decision during a meeting.
Affected workers and residents of the communities near the mining operation on Saturday called on government to prevent the company from resuming operations here. Responding to this call, Ally
said if workers and residents want “to call for RUSAL to come or go, it is their choice,” and emphasised that as Minister of Social Protection she is concerned with the workers’ livelihoods.
Ally also rejected criticisms of General Secretary of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) Lincoln Lewis, who last Friday said that the leaders of the Department of Labour is incompetent.
“As the Minister of Social Protection under which the Labour Department falls, I would say that those persons are highly competent,” Ally said.
Efforts made to contact RUSAL’s Country Representative Vladimir Permyakov for a comment on the progress of talks between his company and the Labour Department proved futile as calls to his phone went unanswered.
The union and BCGI have been in a decade-long labour dispute over a number of issues, including wages. Following strikes last year, the company signed an agreement to engage the union to find a solution but this did not happen.
Lewis yesterday told Stabroek News that the union is still waiting to hear from the government on what progress has been made in relations to talks with the management of BGCI. “I have not heard from [the Department of] Labour and the issue remains the same. I had expected the government by now to do something. It is going on to four weeks now and it is time we get worried,” Lewis said.
During a meeting last Friday night with workers at Aroaima, Berbice River, Lewis encouraged them to remain strong and stand up for their rights.
Since January 23rd, workers and residents have been camping at the riverfront, keeping a watchful eye on a barrier erected across the Berbice River to prevent BCGI vessels from using the river. As a result, barges belonging to BCGI have been docked at their wharf close to the mine site and unable to travel to New Amsterdam to offload.
On Thursday last, police attempted to remove the barrier across the river and this resulted in a standoff.
A visibly-frustrated Lewis told reporters at a press conference last Friday that the Department of Labour has failed to aggressively find a solution to the matter and he singled out junior Minister of Social Protection with responsibility for Labour Keith Scott, Chief Labour Officer Charles Ogle and Consultant to the Labour Department Francis Carryl.
“Nobody wants to hold RUSAL accountable for their acts here since they came here. From Bharrat Jagdeo [failed] but the only one that tried was [former President Donald] Ramotar and Amna Ally tried weakly last week and she start to run away. We have to stop running away from the people,” Lewis stressed.
The GB&GWU has been calling for arbitration to resolve the dispute in light of the failure of conciliation attempts.
