Guyana’s trade unions stand in solidarity with bauxite workers

A number of trade unionists took to the streets in Georgetown on Thursday, standing in solidarity with the workers who were arbitrarily dismissed by the Russian-controlled bauxite company.
The union representatives are calling for the government to stand firm against the bauxite company which is refusing to reinstate the employees.

President of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GBGWU), Lincoln Lewis has said that this protest outside of RUSAL’s Headquarters in Queenstown, is only the beginning and similar actions will continue to ensure that the Russian owned company adheres to the laws of Guyana and corrects its actions against its Guyanese employees. Mr. Lewis related that leaders of other Unions are cognizant of the fact that RUSAL seems to be operating with impunity in Guyana and that citizens are the ones suffering.
General Secretary of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), Coretta McDonald, stated that the policies in place for foreign companies operating in Guyana need to be reviewed and revamped to ensure that Guyanese employees are not taken advantage of.
She explained that stipulations must be laid out and that would be the only way to ensure that Guyanese employees are protected from foreign companies which exploit them.
Furthermore, President of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), Komal Chand noted that RUSAL needs to re-engage the approximately 90 workers that it sent packing, and let them resume their duties, without any deductions to their pay and benefits.
He added that RUSAL cannot claim to be operating at a loss in Guyana.
As the issues intensify, residents of Kwakwani, Region 10 – where RUSAL operates – retaliated against the company blocking the access road which leads to its operations.
Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman has already instructed the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to commence a technical review of the company’s operations in light of these developmen