–as new complications arise

TENSION has begun to escalate between heads of the Russian bauxite company, RUSAL, and its workers following a series of broken promises and new complications.
At the heart of the controversy is the company’s dawdling to reimburse staff monies they would have owed them since October 2016.

It follows the discovery back in 2016 that RUSAL workers were being asked to pay taxes on their premium and overtime pay, at which point the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers’ Union (GBGWU) stepped in.

Since then, the Ministry of Social Protection has had RUSAL sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to the effect that the workers must be paid, and that the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has made arrangements to take charge of the tax returns for the workers for the year 2016.

RUSAL, however, although advised to pay the workers in full for 2017, has opted to reimburse them monthly instead, and to make matters worse, has not delivered on a recent promise to pay workers their wages and overtime taxes for two months (November and December 2017) in December. They were only paid one month’s (November) wages and overtime in December.

Gathering at the Critchlow Labour College, GBGWU General Secretary, Lincoln Lewis; its President, Ephraim Velloza; and Vice-President, Garfield Brutus met recently to discuss the new issues that have arisen.

Brutus, who has been working with the company for almost six years, says that when it comes to clarification on matters which concern the workers, and which they are entitled to know, it is a struggle to receive information.

Producing a document which depicted a copy of his salary slip, Brutus showed where there appeared to be discrepancies on his most recent performance bonus, which is calculated at 20% of each worker’s pay.
Brutus says what his slip is showing is far less than 20%, and that when he attempted to have the matter clarified, he would either be sent from one person to the next or his queries be poorly explained.

“When you go to them [RUSAL Finance Officer) they can’t explain this thing properly to you,” Brutus said, adding that there is presently no breakdown from the GRA or RUSAL which states the amount each worker should expect to be refunded and therefore they are unsure whether they are being misled or not.

MORE COMPLICATIONS
The most recent complication arose when a company mechanic, one Winslow McCurdy, was fired after he made a decision to shut down an equipment that had begun to overheat during his shift.

Brutus and the other workers believe that the decision to terminate McCurdy’s services was meant to victimise him for speaking up during a recent meeting between management and staff, and send a strong message to his colleagues that such behaviour will not be tolerated.

“When they had the meeting with us, he was one of the persons that spoke up; and he spoke boldly,” Brutus explained.
Detailing what transpired at the meeting, Brutus said:
“He said, ‘Y’all got the money; pay the people the money!’ And he talked hard! And apparently, they were afraid of him! It was victimization!”
This string of events has led to workers contemplating going on strike, the last of which occurred back in 2009, when over 60 workers were dismissed.
“We had wanted to strike when this guy [McCurdy] got fired,” Brutus told the Guyana Chronicle.

“The guys they said they’re prepared, but I told them, ‘Man, this thing got a system; it got a process. Let’s wait.’ And I got on to the General Secretary, and he told me to forward the letter [of dismissal] to him. That’s why we didn’t call a strike.”
Lewis has since written to the company, requesting that the matter be addressed speedily, as the workers are now concerned that with McCurdy being fired, he will not be paid the monies owed to him.
Lewis shares their belief, and said that without a hearing or an investigation, the workers are being stifled.

HARSH CONDITIONS
Coupled with the issues faced with the management of RUSAL, Velloza told the Guyana Chronicle of the grim working conditions to which workers are subjected to.
Velloza says that the trucks they operate have inefficient lights, there is no transportation on site for medical emergencies, and workers are given a meager 30-minute lunch break which goes against the Labour Agreement.

“This company feels that they’re untouchable; they have no regard for the government; they have no regard for their human resource and that’s the way how they operate,” Velloza said.

As such, the workers are calling on the government to be more proactive in their defense and protection. “I don’t think the government is doing enough,” Brutus said, adding:
“This thing started with Bharrat Jagdeo; the Russians came to this country to invest in Bharrat Jagdeo’s time. We don’t know what was the contract that was signed with these people, but to me, there is something hiding that we don’t know about concerning the signing of this contract.”

Velloza is of the opinion that the government needs to act now or face the after effects of ignoring their most important asset: The people.
“We are the resources of this country,” Velloza warned. “Election is coming again, and if you’re treating us like this, how do you think we’re going to re-elect you. And we [Region 10] are the largest contingent for your election.”

Lewis, on the other hand, said that the GBGWU is doing everything it can to support and advise the workers, but ultimately, the matter of ensuring that the workers are paid is the government’s responsibility.

“It’s the government who has to make a clear position on this issue; it is not the trade union,” he said. “The trade union can only ask the government to act.”
The company, the men say, engages in little to no interaction with the workers; and the supervisors, who are supposed to represent them, are instead intimidated by the Russians and worried about losing their jobs.

Brutus recommends that operations with the company be terminated, while Velloza says he has faith that they will win out at the end of the day.
“The persons that’s coming after me must not go through this ordeal; they must enjoy the labour that they are working for. We are the forerunners,” he said.