WORKERS of  Oldendorff Company Guyana Inc. (OCGI) have been unionised. The People’s United and General Workers Union (PUGWU) yesterday secured a recognition agreement with OCGI, which ships bauxite from mines located more than 130 nautical miles up the Berbice River.General Secretary of the union, Micah Williams, disclosed  that the company had signed on to a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the union, which says that it recognises it  as the body with which it will negotiate and consult on employment terms and conditions of work for its 220-odd workers.

PUGWU will represent these workers in discussions with the company on issues such as pay, annual leave, health and safety, and other related issues.

PUGWU had been seeking recognition for the past four years.

The signing took place in the boardroom of the Ministry of Social Protection in the presence of consultant to the ministry, Mr. Francis Carryl and Chief Labour Officer, Mr Charles Ogle.

Mr Marlon Jaundoo, Finance and Admin Manager and Mr Alvin Mingo, General Manager, signed on behalf of OCGI and General President of PUGWU Oswald Prince, Vice President Jamal Gilbert and General Secretary Micah Williams signed on behalf of PUGWU.

Oldendorff workers had been without trade union representation for the past four years.
The PUGWU had, in the past, accused the company of employing a large number of Guyanese workers on short-term contracts of one month, three months, six months and even after many years of service many are still not permanently employed.

The union in its agreement on Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) provides for all workers to be permanently employed after serving a three-month probationary period with satisfactory performance among other agreements.

Oldendorff Carriers commenced operations in Guyana in 2006 under a 11-year contract with one of the carrier’s long-term customers, RUSAL, via its affiliate Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. (BCGI).

The operation forms a complete logistics solution facilitating barging, offshore loading and ocean transportation of around 2.0-2.5 million tonnes per annum of bauxite from mines located some 131 nautical miles up the Berbice River.

By Clifford Stanley