NMWU to engage AGM for field visit

Given that the National Mine Workers Union (NMWU) recently won the right to represent workers of Aurora Gold Mine (AGM), efforts are underway to secure permission for a field visit and assessment.
Speaking with Guyana Times, President of the Union, Sherwayne Downer, revealed that they were denied permission prior being the official representative of the workers. While miners would have thrown their support for unionisation, there were no direct engagements.
However, the current position warrants a visit.
“We’re in the process of writing the company for permission to visit, because the Union would have to go on a familiarisation visit to the locations, which is Aurora, Buck Hall and Tapir. We have workers that supported the Union but we wouldn’t have been able to meet them because of not getting permission or being the recognised union. I will be writing them as early as Monday,” the Union President asserted.
Last Wednesday, the Union won the survey conducted by the Labour Department after securing a 52 per cent support from the workers.
“As of August 20, the Trade Union Certification Board made a pronouncement. It was announced that the National Mine Workers Union has won 52 per cent in the survey conducted by the Department of Labour and so the Union is officially the legal bargaining agent for Aurora Gold Mine employees. It was a survey and not a poll, so no other union were present. The miners solely threw their support behind the NMWU. We are awaiting a Certificate of Recognition from the Department of Labour,” Downer was quoted as saying.
He said the NMWU will continue strides to advocate for the rights of miners. This development, he noted, is a victory mainly for the AGM workers.
“It is a victory for the workers of AGM. As President of the Union, I vow to go above and beyond to ensure that those employees, who would have trusted and placed confidence in us, will be on the receiving end of the highest level of effective representation”.
In July, over 200 workers had downed their tools and initiated strike actions for two days after calls mounted for them to be officially represented by a union and other improved working conditions and wages.
During the strike, the workers had claimed that they were threatened with having their internet connection disconnected, which is vital to ensure communication from their Cuyuni-Mazaruni location to the coast. They were also demanding better wages, better quality food and laundry services, out of town allowance, missing NIS contributions among others.