THE Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) on Tuesday won the Recognition Poll by an overwhelming majority of 93 per cent when it came up against the Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated’s (BCGI)-preferred National Mine Workers Union.
In a statement to the media, GB&GWU General-Secretary, Lincoln Lewis said the union headed by President Leslie Gonsalves and himself noted that despite repeated efforts by BCGI to impose unions or workers’ committees, the workers have continuously rejected same.

Lewis described the poll as “incident-free,” despite the fact that at one point BCGI management sought to make “an unauthorised and illegal entry to the polling station.”
“This was seen by the union as an attempt to intimidate the workers or influence the outcome,” Lewis said, adding:
“However, management was met with strong opposition by the TURB officials who were responsible for conducting the poll.”

Tuesday’s poll resulted from eight years of refusal by BCGI to treat with the vigilant GB&GWU. “This union has been crusading the case of the transgressing of workers’ constitutional right to Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining (Article 147), and the violating of Section 23(1) of the Trade Union Recognition Act (1997) to the domestic and international communities,” Lewis reminded.

Now that the poll is over, the union is calling on the BCGI to honour the Laws of Guyana and treat with the union according to said laws. Lewis said failing to do otherwise would constitute a breach of the law and “continued high-handedness and disrespect shown by this management for the sovereignty of Guyana and the workers of Guyana.”

CALLs ON GOV’T
Additionally, the GB&GWU has called on the APNU+AFC coalition government to cause BCGI to respect the will and rights of the workers. “Failure to do so, Government cannot absolve itself from taking responsibility in siding with foreign forces to undermine this nation’s integrity and its citizens’ sovereignty. Government in this regard must stand tall in comparison to the Bharrat Jagdeo Government,” Lewis said in the statement.

The union believes that the government needs to be reminded that it is the very workers being represented by the GB&GWU that supported the coalition government in 2015, given its commitment to ensure the rights of workers are protected and the Collective Labour Agreement enforced.

“Where the APNU and AFC, as Opposition and Government, rightly demanded of the PPP/C in Government and Opposition to respect the electorate’s will in 2011 and 2015, so too must it be for the workers’ will as expressed on Tuesday,” Lewis stated.

“GB&GWU calls on Government to now move to give effect to its commitment and the Rule of Law. Workers must now see the BCGI being brought to the table to start treating with the GB&GWU. Of immediate priority is management adding its signature to the tripartite document to give effect to the promised taxes on all premium hours worked, i.e. overtime, Saturday and Sunday work. GB&GWU and Government signed the document since last year and await BCGI’s signature so the workers can enjoy this benefit,” the GB&GWU General-Secretary continued.

TAX WAIVER AGREEMENT
Lewis reminded that the bauxite unions, GB&GWU and the GMWU, fought in 1988 for a tax waiver on premium hours, which was granted through an agreement with the unions, GUYMINE and the Desmond Hoyte Government, and extended by the same administration to sugar workers.

“The Jagdeo Government took away this benefit from bauxite workers without consultation and agreement, even as it continued granting same to sugar workers,” said Lewis, who believes that the vacation benefit and holiday pay as prescribed in the Collective Labour Agreement must be honoured. “Simultaneously, Government must move to have full-scale engagement between the management and union, a company that it has part ownership of,” he added.

Meanwhile, the GB&GWU thanked the BCGI workers for “fearlessly expressing their will” over the past eight years, and noted that together, “the officials of the union and rank and file workers can move mountains.”

“This struggle is not over until the management of BCGI sits with the union as equal partners and work together to improve the working conditions of every single worker. This has been a bitter and bruising battle; workers have suffered and continue to suffer. Some have been deprived, lost their lives through avoidable industrial accidents, were fed unhealthy food, physically threatened, are working in unsafe and unhealthy environment where some have fallen ill, arbitrarily dismissed, and families have been rent asunder under the weight of the inability of the main breadwinner to provide. Better men and women would have buckled under such circumstances,” Lewis said in the statement.

MANY INTERVENTION
He noted that there have been several interventions made through collaboration with the international trade union movement in 2009 when an online campaign was laughed and received thousands of global signatures.

“There have been several interventions made via letters, statements, columns, articles and editorials, by local and foreign trade unions, federations and citizens calling on the Government of Guyana to address the grievances,” Lewis stressed, while noting that then Opposition Leader People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Robert Corbin, brought a no-confidence motion to the National Assembly against the then Minister of Labour, Manzoor Nadir.

The GB&GWU General-Secretary said while in opposition, the coalition government condemned the treatment meted out to bauxite workers and noted “They are now in the driving seat and have the opportunity to prove how serious and committed they are to righting the wrongs.”