Labour Dept. awaiting advice from AG on RUSAL

The Department of Labour is awaiting advice from the Attorney General Chambers to determine the way forward on the ongoing dispute between workers and the Russian owned Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI).

The company fired 326 workers on February 3, 2020, and suspended its operations at Aroaima, Region Ten.

Chief Labour Officer, Charles Ogle on Tuesday told the News Room that the Department sought advice from the Attorney General Basil Williams on the way forward. He did not disclose the details of the advice sought from the AG.

Ogle said the company has supplied a breakdown of the severance paid to the workers and their salaries before they were fired. The Department of Labour is using the figures to calculate the right severance owed to the aggrieved workers.

During a recent visit to the region by the News Room, the workers said they want RUSAL to leave Guyana, making way for another investor to take over the Bauxite Company.

Minister of Social Protection Amna Ally on Friday last said the Ministry met with the workers and agreed to give RUSAL some time to respond to concerns from the Government.

The company, which was involved in a decade battle over wages and salaries with the Bauxite Workers Union, had initially laid off 142 workers and then an additional 146.

The combined 288 workers then proceeded to block the Berbice River, stopping the passage of loaded barges from RUSAL’s Kurubuku mines.

On February 3 when it fired 326 workers only leaving security guards at its mine site, the company blamed its actions on the blockage of the river.