EMPLOYEES of the bauxite company Bosai Minerals Group Incorporated have begun to receive non-taxed overtime.

This was met with great elation, as the workers, especially those working 12-hour shifts, were anxiously anticipating the day when no taxes would be levied on their overtime.

The workers will also receive salary increases of 6.5 per cent retroactive to April 1, 2016. This money will be payable in the new week.

This follows an agreement reached between the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) and representatives of the company. The agreement would be in force until March 31, 2017.

The workers, in August, had protested for nothing less than a nine per cent increase, since they were to receive a 6.5 per cent increase in 2015, but that did not materialize. One worker, satisfied with the increase, told the Guyana Chronicle that it is better than nothing, and would go a far way.

“I happy about it, because it better than nothing and will help out a lot, especially the retroactive that supposed to pay next week.”

Another worker, dissatisfied with the increase, said the employees were looking for nothing less than nine per cent, but the increase is better than the 4.5 per cent that management was offering at the time of their protest.

“They could have done better, because is long we fighting for more; but I am more happy about the tax waiver, because on a big week a man will be carrying home like $7,000 more,” he reasoned.

The decision to not tax the overtime earnings of employees was announced by Government last December. Tax-free concession on overtime work was implemented in 1988, and was enjoyed by workers up until 2007, when it was discontinued by the PPP/C government.
With the change, it means that workers will receive tax-free overtime for every hour worked after 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week.

President of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union, Lincoln Lewis, has expressed elation at the announcement. “It has been a long struggle. The workers will welcome this decision,” he said.

Though Bosai workers are celebrating the increase and tax exemption, they continue to call for more benefits, including more vacation time for veteran workers, meals allowances, and retirement benefits.