Russian bauxite company sacks over 100 workers

Over 100 employees of the Russian-owned Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc (BCGI) have been laid off effective from today and the company has informed employees that the downsizing of operations is a result of a “fuel shortage.”

The announcement is the latest crisis in relations between the company, a subsidiary of Rusal,  and workers which have been underpinned by acrimony over wages and conditions. Talks on wages have been stalled for months and workers may see these layoffs as an attempt to pressure them.

Workers at the company’s mining site in Maple Town Aroaima, Region 10, were informed of the layoffs by a notice that was posted outside of the company yesterday afternoon.

The letter stated that “We wish to advise that we are forced to reduce operations and lay-off employees due to shortage of fuel”.

However, those laid off have been informed that they will be recalled as soon as the situation stabilises.

Sources at the company’s head office in Georgetown confirmed the layoffs but could not give the exact number of employees that were laid off.

It is unclear why fuel supply would be a problem.

Minister of Social Protection Amna Ally told Stabroek News today when contacted that she only learnt of the layoffs this morning and her Junior Minister Keith Scott is looking into the matter. Scott has the responsibility for the Department of Labour.

Approximately a year ago, disgruntled workers of the company blocked the Berbice River in a dispute over wages, preventing the company’s barges from transporting bauxite.

 The workers, who began striking on February 15, 2019 following the imposition of a unilateral 1% increase in wages by the company, along with other unaddressed issues, including BCGI’s unwillingness to recognise the union as the workers’ bargaining agent, said the move was to signal to the company the need for urgency in finding a resolution.

The company fired 90 workers following the initiation of strike action with 60 workers being dismissed initially and an additional 30 being sacked in the ensuing days.

Following the industrial action, the company and union met with the Department of Labour and agreed to engage in discussions to iron out the issues. However, this arrangement bore no fruit and their union, the GBGWU pointed out that talks have been stalled for over two months as the Ministry of Social Protection’s Labour Department has failed to facilitate it.