Linden electricity company workers strike over salary, safety issues

“Fed up” with numerous issues affecting them, employees attached to the Lines Department of the Linden Utility Services Coop Society Limited (LUSCSL) in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), decided on strike action on Monday morning. The employees of the electricity company downed tools for the entire day and resorted to assembling at a nearby facility.

According to them, some of their main concerns are insufficient wages and salary, safety issues, lack of allowances and what they consider to be the unfair suspension and dismissal of two employees. These concerns, they noted, seem to have been falling on deaf ears for some time now.
“The main things affecting us right now are safety and increase of salary. They’re supposed to employ a Safety Officer, they don’t have one. We spoke about it and they said it would’ve been taken to the Manager level (as well as) Board members and we still waiting. There are other issues concerning safety, for instance the types of gloves we use. They said they were checking on it and they were going to purchase it but that was over a year now,” one of the affected employees told this publication.
The employee added that the linesmen had also requested height and risk allowances but have not gotten a response in relation to this. He said they are prepared to continue with the strike until their demands are met.
Another employee disclosed that things are not as good as they appear with the Lines Department.

“We stand on one of the grounds of a suspension of one of our employees whereby we feel action was taken without investigation and the circumstances that made it meet to that level. Also, there were some other issues which we raised several years ago… from outside it looks like all is well with workers but there are issues which we don’t appreciate – wages and salaries which is not up to date. Our salary scale is very ridiculous. The risk that we take for this electricity work, we’re not being paid to the maximum that we’re supposed to. When we voice our opinions we’re not getting any reaction or nobody paying attention to us. So, we see it fit that we should stand down and let this company recognise that we are serious…”, he explained.
The linesman also noted that the employees are all family-oriented men who need a substantial salary in order to properly maintain their families. He also pointed to the alleged “actions” of management if workers “stand up for their rights”.
“It’s like you can’t stand up for your rights…every time we raise these things they come up with an idea and then afterwards we ain’t hearing back anything. So, we’re looking to see something better happen because every person working is at risk every day…risk allowance and height allowance, these things we don’t have…I don’t want to get down to details but if you get to know the salary that we draw a month you would ask the question as to why is it that we’re still working,” the linesman disclosed.
He further explained that the employees are working along with the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union and based on its negotiations with the company, they will decide on future action.

Issues
Meanwhile, Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union Field Officer Alieshaw Barker, who met with the affected employees, told this publication that the strike was as a result of pending issues. This included what she described as the unfair dismissal of an employee who was allegedly also not paid redundancy, in addition to a senior linesman that she noted was unfairly suspended. Barker also added that the Union was dissatisfied with the method used by the company to determine salary increases for the employees. She also cited unfruitful engagements between the Union and the management of the company in the past but noted that the Union did not instigate the strike action.

“The workers decided on their own, to strike but we stand [in solidarity] because as the bargaining agent for them we stand in support to ensure that in the event that they go back to normalcy there’s no victimisation. So, we’re currently preparing Terms of Resumption for tomorrow at 8 – If they [company] decide to reach with us”, Barker said.
She stressed that if there are no conditions for Terms of Resumption by the company, the Union will be seeking for other employees to join the strike in solidarity with the Lines Department. She also pointed to issues such as fear of dismissal and victimisation which the workers may face. Barker further made reference to a correspondence which she handed in to the company on Monday on behalf of the Union, in she which outlined that the Union was in support of the strike. The letter, which was seen by this publication, indicated that the Union is prepared to meet with the company today with the view of having the situation returned to normalcy. It also pointed to issues expected to be discussed such as height and risk allowances, safety gears and job evaluation, among others. (Utamu Belle)