Reports that the Russian-controlled Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI) has been pressuring workers to sign a document derecognising the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers’ Union (GB&GWU) as their union have engaged the attention of Minister within the Social Protection Ministry with responsibility for labour, Keith Scott. This is according to a Government Information Agency report, which quoted Scott as saying, “this thing has a process – we have laws – it has to be respected. As long as I am here, I have no problem with the negotiating and conciliating between the union and workers and employers, but I would not countenance any union busting, any law breaking and not in any way can we allow workers to continue suffering.”
The Minister said workers’ right to choose their representative must be respected and workers only must decide without being coerced who should represent them.
“If there is any attempt to derecognise the union, I would view that as union busting. I would not look kindly on such a course of action,” the Minister with responsibility for labour said. The call by BCGI for workers to derecognise the GB&GWU came as an ongoing feud continues between the Bauxite Company and the workers’ Union dating back to 2009 when more than 50 workers were dismissed. Since taking office, Scott had advised the Bauxite Company to prepare a severance package for the dismissed workers and also to reengage with the Union.