…as company dismisses 326 staff, shuts down operations over protest

By Tamica Garnett
THE Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally, on Monday, was firm in her stance that the Russian-owed Bauxite Company of Guyana (BCGI) has unlawfully terminated workers, who must be reinstated, even as the company restated its call for the unblocking of the Berbice River.

Ally made the declaration at the end of a meeting held on Monday morning at her Lamaha and East Street Office, where the company’s representatives dropped the news that it had fired 326 workers, notwithstanding having given no notice to the Department of Labour, which is required by Guyana’s laws. Minister Ally made it clear that all other issues could be addressed subsequent to the rehiring of the workers, noting that the unblocking of the river was not within the domain of the Ministry of Social Protection (MoSP).

Alongside Ally, at the meeting was Minister with responsibility for Labour, Keith Scott, and Chief Labour Officer, Charles Ogle, while representing the company were Managing Director Gennadii Derevyanko, Executive Vladimir Permyakov and an interpreter.

When asked about the lack of notice to the labour department, the company’s representatives said that the firing was due to an emergency case. However, the minister was not buying that. The meeting was initially scheduled to discuss the laying off of some 288 workers by the company, but instead saw the company informing that they had actually fired the workers and suspended operations of its business in Guyana. The company cited the blockage of the Berbice River which had affected the company’s ability to transport items from its Kurubuka mines.

Workers blocked the river subsequent to the company laying off 142 workers on January 23, which the company said was due to shortage of fuel. The company then laid off another 146 workers on January 30. “We have always maintained that adequate notice was not given to the workers,” Ogle stated.

In a press release by the company’s parent company RUSAL, one of the largest aluminum producers in the world, the company noted that the “the unrest impacting the Company’s operations continue’. RUSAL believes the opportunities for doing further business in Guyana are now severely limited.

The company also noted that it had also relocated expatriated employees, and claimed destruction of their property. “As a result of serious illegitimate actions that have gone beyond the control of government and enforcement agencies, including arson of the electricity pylon basement and other corporate property, and blocking of the river, RUSAL considers it prudent to suspend and mothball operations of Bauxite Company of Guyana (BCGI). Written notices of termination have been sent to 326 employees,” the release said.
In keeping with their usual style, the company posted notices late evening, on Sunday, informing workers that the company was terminating a number of unnamed employees. The notice was signed ‘BCGI Management’.

Employees were instructed to contact the Personnel Officer for final payments “which will be made with the Termination and Severance Pay Act 1997, payable by way of cheques/personal account numbers”, according to the notice. The employees of the company have been refusing to unblock the river unless the company addressed three issues; aside from the rehiring of the employees the employees are calling for the company to address compensation for two workers who suffered electric shock while on duty in December; and for discussions on wages and salaries to progress to arbitration. The company is now next scheduled to meet with the government representatives on Wednesday.