GENERAL SECRETARY of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers’ Union (GB&GWU), Lincoln Lewis, says a lack of funds has stymied investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Department (OSHD) of the electrocution of employees at the RUSAL-owned Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI).

Two BCGI employees were hospitalised last Sunday at the Kwakwani Hospital after suffering electric shocks while on duty. The union and workers are unhappy with the manner in which management dealt with the matter, given that senior management did not summon transportation to take the injured to the hospital at the time when the incident occurred.

Lewis said a report has been made to the OSHD, but there are impediments to the investigation being conducted. “My understanding is that the department was informed by the company of the incident; the department has not yet been able to get anybody on site. Basically, my understanding is that money is not available for officers to travel to the site for the investigation to commence. The department has its own difficulties,” Lewis explained.

Lewis said the latest incident vindicates the union’s long-held position that safety measures at the bauxite company are lax. The union continues to state to the public, the government and everybody that safety is not a priority for that company. Safety and health, this in itself exonerates the union,” Lewis noted.

The union is currently in stalemated talks with the company over negotiations for salary increases and a new collective labour agreement. After negotiations fell through when the Union refused the company’s maximum 6 per cent salary-increase offer, the Department of Labour was called in for the process to move to conciliation.

The Union is calling for the process to move to the next step, arbitration, as the conciliation process is stalemate. The two sides have not had a meeting in approximately a month, according to Lewis’ estimation. “What we want is for the Ministry [of Social Protection] to declare a deadlock and give the Union the opportunity to request arbitration. The Labour department has to do its job, if it cannot get the issue resolved between the two parties, it has to declare a deadlock,” Lewis asserted.

“What we are asking for is voluntary arbitration, between the company and the union, which the grievance procedure makes provisions for. But the ministry is not responding with an understanding consistent with the grievance procedure.” Lewis said the Union wrote the Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally, earlier this week, and is awaiting a response.