Union finally allowed to visit Aurora Gold Mines

Sep 26, 2019 News

The National Mine Workers’ Union of Guyana (NMWUG) is expected to visit Aurora this week, then follow-up with a visit to Buckhall.

Director, People & Culture at Guyana Goldfields Inc., Emma Geist

NMWUG President, Sherwin Downer

NMWUG President, Sherwin Downer, told Kaieteur News that a meeting the union had last Tuesday with officials of Aurora Gold Mines (AGM) Incorporated was a cordial one.
He said the union was able to familiarize itself with Guyana Goldfields Inc.’s recently appointed Director of People and Culture, Emma Geist. Her capacity in the parent company concerns Human Resources.
During that meeting, Downer raised the complaints he has received of what appears to be an abuse of contract employment, where the company is alleged to be using the convenience of contract employment to hire and fire workers, without explanation and with impunity.
Kaieteur News reported that as late as Saturday last, three contract workers attached to the Aurora Mines Department were informed by the Human Resources Department of AGM Inc. that they should not return to work. This publication has now received word that at least one worker at Buckhall has had his services discontinued as well. These workers were reportedly told that they would be made permanent after a three to six month period.
This publication was informed that this issue also concerns the fired workers, since they have been paying toward an insurance policy for the period they worked at AGM. As their services are discontinued, they no longer have access to that insurance, and hope to be reimbursed for the funds paid into the policy.
Kaieteur News has also been reliably informed that, when the Chief Labour Officer, Charles Ogle, visited AGM Inc. following the last strike action, he told the workers that the Labour Department would work to have this matter rectified because they’re not supposed to be employed for extended periods without being made permanent.
It is also understood that the Aurora workers who were fired were those on the front line advocating for the rank-and-file workers to be unionised. This raises obvious concerns about whether they were victimized.
Downer said that, when the issue of the alleged abuse of temporary contract employment was raised during the Tuesday meeting, the response by the AGM delegation was that the temporary employment process is one that the workers agreed to, and so AGM contends that it did nothing wrong.
On the other hand, the NMWUG President believes that the Labour Department has failed the workers.
Downer said that it is necessary for Government to work swiftly to rectify any legislation or regulation that permits workers to be exploited in this way.
The meeting was the first between the union and AGM parties since the union gained official recognition as the representing union for the rank-and-file workers of AGM Inc.
Earlier this month, AGM, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Canadian Guyana Goldfields Incorporated, acknowledged receipt of a Certificate of Recognition identifying the NMWUG as a majority union for its workers. It had requested some pursuant to organising a visit to the Mine’s Site by a team from the union.
The company stated that it is actively adhering to applicable laws and regulations and that it is facilitating communication with relevant authorities. But it seems to be cooperating with Downer’s request for a visit.
A workers’ strike over alleged workers’ right abuses in early July, had set a series of events in motion that ultimately resulted in the NMWUG getting bargaining rights for the workers below the Supervisory level.