…Union chided for ignoring collective bargaining agreement
Chief Labour Officer Charles Ogle (right) and CCWU President Sherwood Clarke
Some 300 Guyana Oil Company (GuyOil) workers went on a “sit-in” on Wednesday, after negotiations for a salary increase ended abruptly when their union chose to move to industrial action instead of proceeding with the protocols of the collective bargaining agreement.
The workers are represented by the Clerical and Commercial Workers’ Union (CCWU), which has been in negotiations with GuyOil for an increase in wages.
In an interview with Guyana Times on Wednesday, Chief Labour Officer Charles Ogle rebuked the Union for its actions, saying that it did not adhere to the labour protocols.
GuyOil Gas Station
According to Ogle, the CCWU went against the labour laws the moment it did not inform management that it was going on a sit-in or a strike. He stated that the Union was aware that it must inform management first before doing such.
“We had a conciliation meeting and we are at a stalemate presently: the company is offering nothing and the Union is asking something… I wrote the Union for them to come in…they didn’t inform me or they didn’t inform management. The Union is saying it is a sit-in and the management is saying it is a strike,” the Chief Labour Officer said.
Ogle added that he informed CCWU President Sherwood Clarke on Monday that he needed to “hold his hands”, because the Labour Ministry has intervened in the matter. However, Ogle revealed that Clarke still went ahead with the strike action.
“I checked with them and I am monitoring the situation. I even checked with the parties to see if there have been any movements, if the Union is lowering their proposal or if the company is offering something because if the parties don’t move, then there is no way we can solve the problem,” he said.
According to the Chief Labour Officer, the Union is asking for an eight per cent increase based on appraisal or five per cent across the board.
The Union and GuyOil were in negotiations since July 2020, and the Union agreed to all the fringe benefits. Guyana Times was informed that the proposal was on the table since then. The Union has since said that it was engagement. It is still unclear how long the strike action will last.
