Minister of Social Protection Amna Ally, this afternoon blasted the Rusal Bauxite Company over its delay to reinstate 61 dismissed workers and a move by the company to tell another 30 workers that they soon could be on the breadline.
Minster Ally invited the media into her office as she met with officials of the Rusal Bauxite company and made it clear to them that the Government of Guyana will not accept the company’s position, that there be special conditions for the re-employment of the dismissed workers.
“You have put conditions that those who are willing to come back, that their demands to be admitted to the enterprise must be laid over. I think that is unthinkable. Here it is, we have an issue at this place and we’ve made certain requests and there are issues where both management has, as well as workers, and once the workers are back on stream, then it provides us with an opportunity for us to discuss and come to some agreement, but to say to the workers that ‘ hello for you to be admitted, you have to establish these things, it is unthinkable and unreasonable”, Ally told the company.
The Minister also lambasted the company for its position on finding out who were the “instigators” of the strike action.
She said the workers are represented by a union and the company must respect that position. She said the company ought not to be addressing the workers as instigators or trying to shut out the union.
Ally said she cannot understand how the company is talking about the rehiring of the workers, but at the same time, seeking to hire new workers for the same jobs. The Minister said the Government of Guyana will not allow the workers to be treated badly.
Since the firing of the 61 workers, the Rusal Company has reportedly written to another 30 workers, indicating to them that soon their labour might not be needed at a particular time. Ally said such a move is more than unreasonable in face of the current situation.
“Is that done in any sane way?”, she asked, as she blasted the company for not having any consultation on the issue with the workers.
“Because you are management, you come here and you decide this is what I want and this is what I have to get..No, the Government of Guyana will not accept that.”
She said the company also needs to ensure there is security of tenure for the workers.
The Government is holding firm to its position that the workers be reinstated.
The officials who met with the Minister along with her Junior Minister and the Chief Labour officer, have undertaken once again to make contact with their bosses in Russia, before any decision is made.
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