Working conditions poor at RUSAL …workers want union representation, better pay
Concerned workers listen to Minister Simona Broomes
Concerned workers listen to Minister Simona Broomes

WORKERS of the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc (BCGI), a subsidiary of RUSAL, have complained about what they described as a “slave like” existence at the company’s Aroaima Region 10 location and have called on the government to ensure that the country’s labour laws are respected. They are also clamouring for union representation.The workers made these issues clear to Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection Simona Broomes, who led a team into the bauxite company on Wednesday, when a number of labour infractions were observed. The minister and her team made a surprise visit to the company’s location and toured the various locations for hours, meeting with workers who had a slew of complaints and asked for the government’s urgent intervention. Broomes after the meeting with the staff told the Guyana Chronicle that some of what she saw and heard were “disturbing” and in a later meeting with top management indicated that changes would have to be made.

Assistant Chief Labour Occupational Health & Safety Officer Lydia Green and consultant Francis Carryl conduct an inspection  of the toilet facility at the company
Assistant Chief Labour Occupational Health & Safety Officer Lydia Green and consultant Francis Carryl conduct an inspection of the toilet facility at the company

During the visit, the minister also requested employment records, which showed that all of the 18 expatriate workers at the company are in the top management positions and even the company’s on-site security is headed by a foreigner. “No local is employed in any of the top management positions and workers complained bitterly, particularly about the personnel department being headed by someone who does not speak their language,” Broomes told this newspaper.
The Labour Department of the ministry has now launched an investigation into these infractions, some of which included workers’ exposure to the bauxite dust with little protection, workers being forced to endure 12-hour shifts in small, poorly ventilated offices and no immediate access to drinking water. Assistant Labour Occupational Safety & Health Officer Lydia Greene, pointed out these breaches to management and informed management that they should be immediately corrected, adding that the department would be following up with an official letter highlighting the issues.
‘We want union’
Additionally, chief among the workers issues is the fact that they are being barred from being unionised, even though they were initially represented by the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU); but the company has since got rid of the union and fired many of those were part of that union. “Sometimes we does feel worse than prisoners, is like if is a refugee camp in here and this happening in we own country,” Ivan Leacock, one of the workers told Minister Broomes during the visit. “It is only lef for dem to just get a whip,” another frustrated worker told the minister and her team, which included consultant to the minister, Francis Carryl.
Carryl during a discussion with the company’s management made it clear that Guyana’s Constitution provides for every worker to be part of any organisation according to their choice and these include trade unions. “In fact, the constitution makes it quite clear that no worker shall be hindered in his enjoyment of an association of that sort,” he said. He also said that the Trade Union Recognition Act makes it mandatory that any trade union bargaining for or on behalf of any group of workers ought to be recognised. He said section 23 of the said Act makes it an offence for any management to refuse to treat with the trade union of the workers’ choice.

The tent that was used by workers at the Kurubuka mining site as a lunch room before management hurriedly built a small makeshift room after they reportedly learnt that Minister Simona Broomes was slated to visit.
The tent that was used by workers at the Kurubuka mining site as a lunch room before management hurriedly built a small makeshift room after they reportedly learnt that Minister Simona Broomes was slated to visit.

The workers also complained about management’s alleged arrogant approach to addressing their issues. “This thing like teking away we manhood, we is man but we can’t be man in here because we have we family to look after and job ain’t deh,” another worker said, as top management hovered close by but were barred from being a part of the interactions the minister had with the various workers.
The workers stressed that they need to be unionsed, so that proper representation can be made for them to management. “We want we union, a begging you Madam Minister, leh we get we union before sometime bloody happen, is nah two cent we workers going through,” a worker said.
And while the expatriate managers have been accused of mistreating workers, they said some of their own locals have also been arrogant. One worker recalled being told by the company’s local safety adviser that “it ain’t got nothing to do with safety, is about the company losing money,” when he questioned whether it is safe to climb without a ladder to access some fuel.
According to the workers, the situation was worse, but for months it was rumoured that Minister Broomes would have visited the location and this propelled management to improve the service and facilities provided to workers. In the Kurubuka mines, the workers said that what they now use as their lunch room was recently built, but pointed to a shed covered by tarpaulin with some crudely built benches and tables that were used by workers to take their lunch up to about two months ago. Workers also complained about having to work with defective machines. They also complained about having no sports facility on the compound compared to the swimming pool and tennis court provided for the expatriates.
Maple town

Minister Simona Broomes greets  workers at RUSAL.
Minister Simona Broomes greets workers at RUSAL.

In what is known as the Maple Town area, where the bulk of the company’s workers are located,furniture in the lunch-room is shoddy. The ship-loaders of the bauxite company are forced to be in a small box-like building with no proper windows, and as such, have little or no protection from the volume of bauxite dust during the loading sessions. Because of the extreme conditions under which they work, the employees said sometimes they fall ill, but are penalised by management when they are forced to submit medicals and are at times written letters accusing them of “malingering on the job.” They also accused the company’s deputy personnel officer Leroy Saul, of colluding with the company’s top management to victimise workers as he has repeatedly indicated to them that their medicals were misplaced after being handed in.
Salary increase
Further, the company has reportedly imposed a 3% salary increase for next year and according to the workers, officials claimed that this was what was set by the new management. When asked about this by Minister Broomes, Saul said that it was a misinterpretation by the workers because of the language barrier. However, this was the claim told to the minister by a number of workers in the various sections.
The workers also complained about being suspended for opting not to work for 12 hours, which is mandatory for workers at the company. Apart from this, the workers were also concerned about what benefits they are entitled to after working with the company for many years, as they pointed out that there is no retirement package at the company. The company does have a life, health and pension insurance with GTM, but workers are unclear about how this works. Some also spoke about the fact that they work 14 days with seven days off and during their days off they are not paid. For others, it was the fact that they are on contract for over three years and are being told that they have to pay their own National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and PAYE contributions. “This is not fair,” one of the workers commented. The workers said that the company has the former Chief Labour Officer Mohammed Akeel, as their consultant and because of his knowledge of the labour laws, they have been circumventing the relevant laws.
‘Not optional’

The space being used by workers as a lunch room at BCGI
The space being used by workers as a lunch room at BCGI

Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle after the tour, Minister Broomes, who said that she is perturbed by what she observed at the company, told top management of the company that some things are not optional but rather they are a “must” as prescribed by the country’s labour laws. The minister said she was not impressed with the lunch room and toilet facilities provided for the workers and said these are two things that could can be easily fixed. She insisted that the visit was not an attack on the company since the government welcomes investors, but stressed that workers’ rights in the country are generally being violated. Derevganko said the management team of the company has been changed and they have begun to pay keen attention to the health and safety of the workers. Improvement, according to him, will include better working air conditioners and fans for workers. Production Manager Gennodi Derevganko, who said he was appointed to the position only about a month ago,said he has written to the company’s country management on the issue.

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