Min. Trotman visits striking RUSAL workers

─ urges resolution in quickest possible time

DPI, Guyana, Saturday, March 9, 2019

Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, on Saturday, visited workers of Russian Bauxite Company (RUSAL) who continue strike action along the Berbice river.

“I did pay a visit to RUSAL workers who are at the Berbice river protesting… I thought it was important for me as the Minister of Natural Resources to actually see the condition, because I have seen photographs sent to me by various residents in the community and the company, of the barricade across the river” Minister Trotman stated.  

The workers have blocked the Berbice River, preventing the company’s barges from transporting bauxite.

This began in mid-February, following the imposition of a unilateral one percent increase in wages by RUSAL, along with other unaddressed issues, including its (BCGI’s) unwillingness to recognise the union as the workers’ bargaining agent.

Following the strike action by the workers, the Ministry of Social Protection took the lead on the matter.

“I am giving support as best as I can… But as the Minister of Natural Resources, I believe it is my duty to go and meet and to hear from them [workers on strike], as we have heard from the company,” Minister Trotman noted as he acknowledged the Social Protection Ministry’s role in addressing the situation.

After listening to the workers, the Natural Resources Minister noted that they do have justifiable concerns that should be heeded.

“I continue to urge that both the company and the Ministry of Social Protection find a path forward.”

Adding that “what we have is a stalemate” and it is not helping anyone, it is hurting families, it’s hurting the company and of course, it is hurting the economy of Guyana.

“I don’t believe that we could continue as we have been for too much longer and in my personal view, that I will share with Cabinet, our plenary as it is now referred to… if that relationship is so fractured, perhaps it is time we look elsewhere… we can’t have workers crying out like this; they are Guyanese… I met fathers, I met mothers, I met persons who haven’t seen their families in over a month, and it is heart rendering and I believe something has to be done soon,” Minister Trotman emphasised.

The minister also expressed his support for arbitration nothing that he would expect that the company (RUSAL) would concede and accept that arbitration is the best way forward so that the government would not have to go to compulsory arbitration.

“Let us hope that good sense prevails,” he urged.

Thus far, the peaceful protest action by the approximately 60 workers is said to be well organised, as the workers have divided themselves into shifts.

In a recent interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, with responsibility for Labour, Keith Scott disclosed that the government has sent proposals to RUSAL and the trade unions to outline their grievances in writing. He assured that before any resolution can be tabled, the affected workers must be reinstated.

This followed two meetings between Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally, Minister Scott and the representatives of RUSAL. After no consensus was reached on the reinstatement of the workers and a further 30 were laid off and the company executives refused to meet with the Union, Minister Ally told the RUSAL representatives that government will be going the “full length” to uphold the country’s laws.

Felecia Valenzuela.

Image: Anil Seelall.