IN response to complaints made by workers, Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, on Monday, met with officials of the foreign-owned Demerara Timbers Limited (DTL).
Two weeks ago, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) wrote to the ministry requesting the minister’s intervention to address a number of breaches to the labour laws that were reported to the union. The union in a press statement had said that workers had reported a number of issues. The union, despite having a chain of communication to represent the workers, said that the issues were falling on deaf ears. During the engagement with company officials, Minister Hamilton bluntly reminded them that they must respect the union and the workers.

The minister informed them that any refusal to engage the union is an infringement of Guyana’s laws.
When asked for an explanation, the company’s acting Human Resources Officer, in offering a feeble response stated that the company’s stance originated from instructions from his superiors.
Finding the explanation unacceptable, the minister told the DTL representatives that he wishes to engage their bosses as it appeared they were constrained from making any decisions.
The company has since been given two weeks to set up a dialogue where the matter will be thoroughly discussed. The minister is also expected to visit the company’s operations at Mabura Hill in Region Ten.

During a recent interview with the media, Minister Hamilton made calls for both local and foreign companies to respect and uphold the country’s labour laws.
“Let me say this to companies, and I will keep saying this to people, you have two options: Either you obey the law and comply, or I call press conferences and let them see how this works out,” he had said. He added that delinquent companies will be publicly identified, if they are in breach of the labour laws.
“All companies, you obey and comply; you refuse to do that, I will assemble the media and attempt to publicly shame you. That is the bottom line; whether you be a local company or overseas company,” Hamilton asserted.