Bosai strike ends: Agreement reached for 7% wage increase

A day after employees attached to bauxite mining company, Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Incorporated in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) downed tools over disagreements stemming from a proposed wage increase, the company and the workers’ union has agreed to a seven per cent across the board increase for two years.
Over 60 employees, mainly operators attached to the East Montgomery Mines location, downed tools on Wednesday, as they joined others at the north gate of the company in peaceful protest over the previously proposed six and 6.5 per cent increase.
According to the disgruntled employees, based on the offer, employees would have been paid a six per cent increase if they agree to this amount for one year, or a 6.5 per cent increase if they agree to it for a period of two years.
This, the employees had contended, was totally unacceptable. They noted that they were seeking an increase of eight or nine per cent.
However, this publication understands that the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) Union met with the company on Thursday where an agreement was reached. This was confirmed by Bosai senior Personnel Officer Truedel Marks who said that a full resumption of staff is expected back soon.
“We have reached agreement. The strike has ended; we expect full resumption tomorrow (Friday) at 7. We have decided to pay 7 percent across the board. There was some increase in their shift allowance, shift premiums and sick leave benefits,” Marks told this publication on Thursday. She added that the company and the Union were also expected to sign an agreement at the Labour Department.
It is understood that a majority of the workers have agreed to the decision, however several employees told this publication that the decision was not an easy one. According to an employee, they were informed by the company that if an eight percent increase was granted then the company would have to retrench all of its casual workers and apprentices to accommodate the nine per cent being sought.
Meanwhile, Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) Divisional Chairman Whitney Graham said the majority of the workers and the Union would have agreed to the decision. “We agree with it and before the end of the month the workers would be paid. For the most part the majority of the workers agreed and the Union agreed with it”, he stated.
However, some of the employees told this newspaper that they are in disagreement.
Back in 2016, the employees had also protested an across-the-board increase of 4.5 percent which was at the negotiations stage, as they aimed for a nine per cent increase.