MINISTER Keith Scott, the subject minister within the Ministry of Social Protection who has responsibility for issues of labour, has said that Government will not condone any attempt by the Russian-controlled Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI) to derecognise the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers’ Union (GB&GWU).“Union-busting will not be condoned,” Scott said, after a report was carried by the Guyana Chronicle on Monday indicating that workers of the BCGI are being coerced into signing a document aimed at derecognising the GB&GWU.

He told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that the situation has been brought to his attention, and under no circumstance will the Government condone the derecognition of unions.

“This thing has a process, we have laws; (GB&GWU) has to be respected. As long as I am here — I have no problem with the negotiating and conciliating between the union and workers and employers — I would not countenance any union-busting; any law breaking. And not in any way can we allow workers to continue suffering. If there is any attempt to derecognise the union, I would view that as union-busting. I would not look kindly on such a course of action,” Minister Scott has told GINA.

He stressed that all workers have the right to choose their representatives, and that choice must be respected by their employers.

BCGI has long said that it does not recognise the GB&GWU; and as such, BCGI workers have been without union representation for a number of years.

Guyana Chronicle has been informed that the BCGI has issued contracts to its permanent employees who are not in favour of the BCGI derecognising the GB&GWU. A source has told the Guyana Chronicle that these contracts give the company the right to terminate an employee with just a month’s notice, and clearly state that the new agreement between the BCGI and those employees “replaces and supersedes all contracts of employment previously entered into by the parties”.

Workers are reportedly intimidated and threatened to sign the new contract, and are fearful that they would lose their jobs should they resist the desires of the BCGI management.