The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the Berbice Bridge Company Inc (BBCI) have concluded negotiations for 2022 during which they finalised salary increases for the workers of the bridge company.
It was agreed that employees would benefit from salary increases ranging from nine per cent and 15 per cent. These negotiated increases are retroactive to January 1, 2022.
Additionally, the parties also agreed to revise the salary scales. This will see workers whose earnings fall below the new scales being brought up to the new minimum of the scale thus receiving in excess of fifteen (15) per cent pay increase.
Apart from the wages being raised, GAWU and the BBCI have agreed to have all allowances increased by nine per cent across the board.
Further, through the agreement reached, arrangements regarding the scheduling of staff engaged in the retraction of the bridge on weekends and holidays were clarified and addressed.
Moreover, the issue of year-end bonus also received attention during the negotiations as well.
GAWU said it is pleased with the agreement reached during the bilateral discussions with the BBCI.
“The discussions, we believe, were cordial, respectful and frank and assisted in reaching a speedy conclusion. For their part, the workers are pleased with the increases secured by the union and at this time, the company is addressing the retroactive payments,” GAWU said in a statement on Friday.
These increases come less than a year after the union and the bridge company agreed to pay hikes between five to 27 per cent as well as a one-month salary bonus in December 2021 for workers.
GAWU’s President Seepaul Narine had said that these benefits augured well for the worker/management relations as he expressed hope that the fruitful relations fertilised over the years will continue to flourish.
At the time, Chief Labour Officer (CLO) Dhaneshwar Deonarine congratulated the two parties, stating that it is encouraging that the union and the company were able to reach an agreement bilaterally.
However, those agreed pay increases and adjustments to the salary scales in December came on the heels of workers protesting breaches to the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act in September 2021.
The workers were peeved over the BBCI management’s refusal to replace personal protective equipment (PPE) damaged during the course of their work amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Attempts by the GAWU and the workers to have the bridge company replace damaged PPE were refused bluntly by the management.
It was claimed that the leading manager reportedly said that the workers had already received their PPE entitlements and they should purchase any replacement. Those sentiments deeply upset the workers, who believed their rights were being trampled.
On this score, it is apt to point out that Section 46 (1) (a) of the OSH Act says “An employer shall ensure that the equipment materials and protective devices and clothing as prescribed are provided”. (G8)
