Labour Minister slams RUSAL

…over non-attendance of meeting
MINISTER of Labour Manzoor Nadir says RUSAL’s refusal to attend an important meeting with the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union and the ministry is ‘a gross disregard and disrespect for the country, the government, and the laws of Guyana’, and has compelled the company to heed the call to attend the next arranged meeting, or else.
RUSAL’s grounds for turning down the invitation are that it has no collective bargaining agreement with the union. About one year ago, 57 workers were dismissed from the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. (BCGI) RUSAL’s subsidiary. Five other workers were also sent home from the company during this year.
The actions of the company and the handling of the issue by the Ministry of Labour have both attracted widespread condemnation from labour organizations, both locally and overseas. Even the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union pronounced on the matter during this year’s May Day rally.
In a letter to the General Manager of RUSAL, Ruslan Volokhov, the Minister reminded the company that the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union is the certified bargaining agent “for a large section of your work force and you are legally bound to treat with them.” The Minister said that the company cannot unilaterally declare that there exists no collective bargaining agreement.
“First, I view your refusal as a gross disregard and disrespect for the country, the government and the laws of Guyana,” the Minister said.
Quoting Clause 4 (1) of the Laws of Guyana Cap: 98:01, the Minister said where a difference exists or is apprehended between an employer or any class of employers, and employees, or between different classes of employees, the Minster may, if he thinks fit, exercise all or any of the following powers, namely – (a) Inquire into the causes and circumstances of the difference; and (b) Take such steps as to him may seem expedient for the purpose of promoting a settlement of the difference.
The Minister’s letter said that under the Trade Union Recognition Act, every employer has a duty to treat with a certified trade union for the purpose of the collective labour agreement. According to the Minister, section 23 states that where a trade union obtains a certificate of recognition for workers comprised in a bargaining unit in accordance with this Part, the employer shall recognize the union, and the union and the employer shall bargain in good faith and enter into negotiations with each other for the purpose of collective bargaining.
“I understand that you have supplied incomplete and possibly inaccurate or misleading information to the Trade Union and Recognition Board Regulation (no. 1 of 2001) Clause 4 (1) [states] it is an offence to supply incomplete, inaccurate and false or forged documents to the Board,” the Minister informed RUSAL.
“I wish to inform you, as your company seems to be advised very limitedly, that under Chapter 98:01 of the labour laws Clause 6 (1) the Minister has powers to intervene in any trade dispute,” he said.
The Act states that where any trade dispute exists or is apprehended, the Minister may, if he thinks fit, refer any matters appearing to him to be connected with, or relevant to, such dispute or apprehended dispute to an Advisory Committee appointed by him for the purpose of such reference, and the Committee shall inquire into the matters referred to it, and shall report thereon and make such recommendations as it may deem expedient, to the Minister.
“I also have recourse to the use of compulsory arbitration as have been done in the past few years. The Government has been very patient, principled and objective. I am, however, unprepared to tolerate from RUSAL any further disrespect to our Laws, workers and people. I am strongly urging you to attend the next meeting called by the Ministry,” the Minister warned.

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